June Devotions: The Father Heart of God
MONDAY
God the Father Is Tender Toward You
Hosea 11:3 (NIV)
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
The heart of the Lord knows kindness at a level that’s so deep and full and wide that we—people who struggle with sin and shame—just can’t understand it. It’s beyond our minds.
The Lord, as our Father, takes us by the arms and leads us forward. We can’t even learn to walk without Him. He is tender toward everything He has made (Ps. 145:9).
If your heart is aching today, consider the following statements:
The Lord loves you with great tenderness.
He’s your Healer. (Where do you need healing?)
He’s a gentle Father who always encourages you and knows exactly what you need.
His arms are open to you.
Today’s prayer: Lord, You are my Father. I choose to rest in Your tender care today.
Child of God, may your Monday be blessed, and may you know the deep love of your Father.
TUESDAY
God the Father Is Holding Your Hand
Psalm 37:24 (NLT)
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Many of us learn as kids to behave a certain way in order to be accepted with love and grace. We grow up thinking that God works the same way. If we want to be accepted, we need to act only the way He wants us to act.
But the Lord is the best Father, who never stops being exactly who He is: pure love. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, and He doesn’t pull away when we stumble—He keeps a firm grip on our hands and doesn’t let us fall to the ground.
Where are you afraid of falling? Is there a particular situation or worry that presses in on you, and you’re afraid you might make a mistake or be destroyed? Entrust that area to your heavenly Father. Let Him carry it for you, and remember He’s holding your hand.
If you feel afraid or discouraged today, consider carefully the following truths:
You’re not alone. Your Father is with you.
You don’t need to be afraid of messing up and falling because even if you make a mistake, you won’t be destroyed.
He’s gripping your hand firmly. He’s got you.
Today’s prayer: Father God, would You show me what it means for You to hold my hand?
Child of God, may your Tuesday be blessed, and may your heart be filled up with your Father’s love.
WEDNESDAY
God the Father Hasn’t Cut You Off
Psalm 107:17–19 (NASB)
Fools, because of their rebellious way,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
When we realize how much God actually loves us, we start to lose a fear that’s unfortunately common for many people: the fear of messing up and being cut off from the Father’s love.
In Psalm 107 the people were in trouble because of their own stupidity. Yet God still loved them and wanted them. When they asked for help, He came and saved them. He is here for you too.
If you feel like you’ve messed up beyond God’s ability to forgive, pray about the following points:
God’s heart is soft and tender toward you.
He draws near to save you.
He’s paying attention and waiting for you to call out to Him.
Today’s prayer: Father God, please help me to understand how safe I am with You.
Child of God, may your Wednesday be blessed! Be strong and courageous in His love.
THURSDAY
God the Father Loves Those Who Can Offer Him Nothing
Luke 23:42–43 (NLT)
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The thief on the cross met Jesus in death. This man didn’t come with a lot of good works on his record. According to the court system of the day, he deserved to die, and that’s what was happening to him.
But when this criminal looked at Jesus, he saw something that gave him hope. He didn’t say he was sorry or apologize for the wrong things he’d done—he just asked Jesus to “remember” him. And the Lord responded with epic love.
God can take anyone and make them new, and He’s fond of those who don’t deserve Him.
If you feel like you’re “too dirty” for God, consider the following truths:
He loves you just as you are.
All you need to do is come to Him.
He has good things in mind for you. Better than anything you expect.
Today’s prayer: Father, please open my eyes so I can see how much You love me.
Child of God, may your Thursday be blessed! Don’t hesitate to run to your Father today.
FRIDAY
God the Father Hasn’t Rejected You
Luke 7:47 ESV
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.
Your heavenly Father isn’t a hard taskmaster who forces His kids to obey the rules or else. He doesn’t think of our mistakes the way we do. Even when we’ve really messed up, He still wants us.
As we recognize how much God has forgiven us, the world around us changes because we start to love other people more. Our love is wrapped up in His love, and that’s where our freedom is found.
If you feel more aware of your mistakes than the Father’s heart, think about the following points:
God doesn’t look at your sins and reject you.
He constantly forgives and makes whole.
You’ve been assigned a permanent seat in the goodness of God (Eph. 2:6).
Today’s prayer: Father, when I come to You for forgiveness, You forgive with all Your heart. Thank You for Your forgiveness and the blood of Jesus that takes away my sin and shame. Help me to forgive myself the way You’ve forgiven me.
Child of God, may your Friday be blessed, and may your heart know the love of God at a new level.
SATURDAY
God the Father Loves Making You Holy
Colossians 1:21–22 (NASB)
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
Before we met Jesus, we were “hostile” toward God in our thoughts. But then He called our name, and when we came to Him, everything changed. We were formerly hostile—but now we’re His. He is in the business of making people completely clean, holy, blameless, and beyond reproach.
If you need to “update your eyes” and start seeing yourself the way your heavenly Father sees you, go over the following points carefully and allow them to settle down in your heart:
Because of Jesus, you’re blameless.
Because of Jesus, you’re beyond reproach. God the Father doesn’t look at you with disapproval or condemnation.
He’s not disappointed in you—He rejoices because of you.
Today’s prayer: Father God, I acknowledge that You have washed me clean. Please show me how to view myself the way You do, so my life will change forever.
Child of God, may your Saturday be blessed, and may your heart know the epic peace of God in all things.
SUNDAY
God the Father Loves Being with You
Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Remembering that God is with us takes practice. Because our hearts are bruised with sin and pain, and because we can’t approach Him in “human” ways, it isn’t always easy to remember, “Oh yeah. He’s here with me. I don’t need to worry about this thing, because He’s taking care of me.”
“God With Us.” That’s who He is—that’s His name, Immanuel, and He will act as His name in every situation in our lives. Whatever we’re going through, we can take a deep breath and be at peace, because we aren’t going through it alone.
If you feel alone today, remember these truths about your Father:
God is with you. Every day. Every moment. Every breath. Every heartbeat.
God loves you so much that being with you is a pleasurable experience for Him.
He treasures you the way a good, godly man treasures his little child. (Have you ever seen a dad doting on his baby? That’s what God is like with you.)
Today’s prayer: Father, please help me to realize Your joy at being with me.
May your Sunday be blessed, and may your heart be filled up with God’s love.
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