Daddy

Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.



(OK, mad props to anyone who read all the way through that. If you didn't you will get something out of what I'm gonna say next, but it won't be as effective. I suggest reading that whole psalm.)


Been thinking a lot lately about how God is our FATHER.

You know how dad's are supposed to teach us, support us, spend time with us, love us, show us basically who God is in our lives.

(DID YOU KNOW: Most people's initial view of who God is, is how they view their earthly father?)

If you didn't have a dad who wanted to spend time with you when you were little (or even now), maybe you think God is distant, doesn't have time for you, doesn't care about the things you care about...

If you had a dad who abused you, maybe your view of God is that He's there to punish you for all of your mistakes and that you've got to have everything together, and even then, you still can't do anything right.

If you had a dad who expected you to be perfect, maybe your view of God was that you had to have your act together before you could be saved, or that you couldn't come to God or be used by Him because you weren't perfect yourself.


There are a lot of scenarios, but you get my point.


What I really wanted to point out about the truth in this psalm, is that it pretty much takes away all doubt that God is anything like our earthly fathers. (If you had a great father, AWESOME. This isn't a diss, this is just trying to explain how perfect of a dad, God is.)


Basically, this psalm says: "my child, who I love SO much... you're not lonely, you never have been. other people have been distant, other people have left you, but even before you knew me, I knew you. I'm the one who formed you, my eyes saw yours before you were even a thought. Not only that, but there is no where that you could run to, hide, or fall that I wouldn't be there already. I'm your security. You can lean on me. Your burden isn't too heavy for Me. In fact, I already know about it, so just give it to me. I know your thoughts, your habits, your actions, your words.. all before you even do them. I think about you more than you could even count- you'd fall asleep before you could even begin counting all the wonderful things I think about you."


I want you to know that God isn't some mean guy up in heaven, God isn't some bubble gum machine where you pray and get an answer and walk away, God isn't the word you say before you say a cuss word. GOD is YOUR FATHER.

God is the perfect image of a father. He can restore your heart if you'll let Him.

Be teachable. He's full of grace and mercy. And even more so, LOVE.


He's got your world in the palm of His hand, and He's not about to let go. The season you're in isn't permanent. It's a season. Your Dad wants with all of His heart to help you out, so just learn to put your full trust in Him. REST in Him. And just be still and know that He is God.


Everything you wish your earthly father was to you.. everything you've ever wanted in a dad.. all of your favorite and best qualities you love about your dad... plus more than you could dream of.. That is our God.. and HE IS THAT- FOR YOU.

FOR YOU, SPECIFICALLY.


Receive that. Claim it. It's yours. Take it.

God is love.
Love never fails.
God loves you.
God never fails you.

GOD is your father..
YOU are His child...