How great is the love the father has toward us that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1) and not just children alone, but heirs (Romans 8:17) according to the promise (Galatians 3:29)? The father’s love is so great that he would give up his only son that many should have the opportunity at a better life (John 3:16). We, who have been chosen (Romans 9:24-26), are not biological children, we have been adopted (Romans 8:15-16). This adoption makes us no less a son or daughter than a biological son or daughter. The adoption proceedings began with Jesus, and only Jesus, at the open tomb and were made final at the bowing of our knee and the confession in our mouth (Philippians 2:6-11).

God, the father, the creator of heaven and earth, the one who was, who is, and who is to come is not like any earthly dad ever seen or still yet to be seen. He is a good father who always does good for his kids. There are good earthly fathers who would hang the moon for their children giving them what they ask, but there is an even better father who actually hung the moon for all who would become his children (Matthew 7:9-11). Consider the moon, without it in place the tides would change, and the tilt of the Earth would change causing drastic differences in the seasons. How truly good is God to meticulously place the Sun, Earth, and Moon in the exact right orbit, spinning on the perfect axis to sustain life on this blue dot.

There are bad dad’s in the world and of that I am truly sorry. We get our most basic sense about who God is by looking at who our own father is, but we should not project the actions of our flawed parents, or other authority figures, upon the character and nature of our flawless God (Isaiah 55:8-9). Let’s face it, for some us there is a lot to overcome to see a self-less, loving, faithful, patient, and just God when we call him father because our own father might have been the very opposite.

You might have been let down, but God will never let you down. He does nothing out of selfish ambition nor vain conceit. God has fully given all of himself in the form of his son Jesus Christ and what greater love is it than for one to lay down his own life for his friend (John 15:13).

The surrendered heart has all the approval necessary.

The good news is that our hope for adoption did not stay in the grave! Rather this hope overcame death, Hell, and the grave that we might have not only what is a good gift, but what is the best gift that we could possibly receive (James 1:17). The gift is no more striving, straining, or working hard just to gain approval that is ticking down. The surrendered heart has all the approval necessary.

God the father, Yahweh, the creator of heaven and earth loves his children just because they are his and they acknowledge they need him. It’s true, we did not choose God, nor have we chosen his ways; in fact, before entering into relationship with God we were foreigners, indeed enemies, of God (Ephesians 2:11-13; Colossians 1:21-22). He, however, would choose those who were far off, distant, having nothing to do with him, to be his children and closest friends – to appoint them for a life filled with opportunity (John 15:15-16). The adoption papers are in. They just need your signature. Choose to lean back and rest in the arms of a loving father and simply bask in knowing that he is good. He has your best interest in mind.