Title: The Perfect Father / Topic: love

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 57, 58, 59; Psalm 103; 2 Pet. 3

Scripture: Psalm 103:2-5, 8, 10-12: Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits---who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's....
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love...
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Observation: These are some of my favorite verses from one of my favorite Psalms. They describe God's character so beautifully. He is pictured as the best of fathers here; one who loves his children without measure, delights to give them treats, is patient and able to keep an even temper, and forgives without ever bringing up the past against his kids. And who gets to be loved by this Father God? Anyone who fears (respects and honors) him. Those who don't fear him don't experience any of His blessings because their self-reliance or bitterness has cut them off from receiving any of them. They've believed a lie and deluded themselves that they either don't want or don't need His love. How sad! Everyone needs this kind of love and the joy it brings.

Application: What should be our response to all this love from our Heavenly Father? Gratitude and praise, a desire to please Him, to never bring dishonor to His Name, and to imitate Him so that others may see and know His loving nature. As a parent, I want to show these characteristics to my children. As a Christian, I want the people around me to see His reflection in how I act (and react) toward them. It's a high calling and not always easy to do. I need to spend plenty of time "soaking up" His love for me so that even when I'm around people who don't treat me with kindness or respect I can give to them out of the reservoir He has put in me.

Prayer: O Father, how I thank You for Your great, immeasurable love for me! How I need it Lord! I've been so damaged by being used and abused by others that Your love is like a healing balm to me. I know that because I'm a damaged sinner, I've also hurt others. Forgive me, and help those I've wounded to receive healing from You and to forgive me. May I show You how much I love You by how I act toward others. Let Your Spirit speak to me and let me always be sensitive to His voice so that I may live rightly. I love You so much; You are all my hope and stay.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.