“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13
Many of my prisoner friends grew up with angry, abusive men as fathers. It can be hard for them to trust God as their Father because the example they grew up with was so oppressive. I often encourage them to read and prayerfully meditate on what Psalm 103 teaches us about our heavenly Father.
There we read words about a loving Father who surpasses all earthly fathers, even the good ones. Parents know it can be hard to be slow to anger and to keep anger within limits. Not with our heavenly Father. His anger lasts but a moment. It does not linger and harass us judgmentally.
The love of our earthly parents falls short or sometimes is hardly evident at all. But God’s love for us is infinite and knows no bounds. It’s as high as the heavens are above the earth. Can you begin to grasp how wonderful that is?
And then think of how truly life-giving it is that our Father knows us completely, knows that we are merely dust. Yet He loves us so much that He “works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed” (v. 6). This is a Father who can be trusted.
There we read words about a loving Father who surpasses all earthly fathers, even the good ones. Parents know it can be hard to be slow to anger and to keep anger within limits. Not with our heavenly Father. His anger lasts but a moment. It does not linger and harass us judgmentally.
The love of our earthly parents falls short or sometimes is hardly evident at all. But God’s love for us is infinite and knows no bounds. It’s as high as the heavens are above the earth. Can you begin to grasp how wonderful that is?
And then think of how truly life-giving it is that our Father knows us completely, knows that we are merely dust. Yet He loves us so much that He “works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed” (v. 6). This is a Father who can be trusted.
Scripture Focus
Psalm 103:1-14
Insight
Lord, I pray to truly believe that You are a good Father whose love for me is as high as the heavens are from the earth. Amen
Bible In A Year
- Leviticus 3-4
- Psalm 47
- Luke 11
