Thinking this morning about my earthly father and my heavenly father. My dad was a burly guy – a real man’s man. He wasn’t tall, just under 6′ but his hands were huge!
There is an older country song “Daddy’s Hands”. That song pretty much described my dad. Hands that were soft and kind when I was hurting, hands that were hard as steel when I did wrong but there was always love in Daddy’s hands. Yep, that pretty well describes him!
My heavenly Father’s hands are big too. So big that He says my name is engraved in His hands. He says that he holds me in the palm of His hand and no one can pluck me out. His hands are my protection and my provision.
“My sheep hear My voice and I know them. They follow Me. 28 I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be punished. No one is able to take them out of My hand. 29 My Father Who gave them to Me is greater than all. No one is able to take them out of My Father’s hand. 30 My Father and I are one!” John 10:27-30 NLV
I think that is what Jesus was trying to teach to those who were there on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
“7 Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.
12 Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about.” Matthew 7:7-12 CEV
My earthly father loved me and provided for me the best he could. He never did anything to hurt me intentionally and with him as my example I can see now how much more my heavenly Father loves me and has provided for me throughout my life.
So many times people get the wrong idea about my heavenly Father. They think He is out to spoil their fun, treat them harshly, or rule with a heavy hand. No, that’s not Him; He reaches out in love! Oh yes, He corrects when I’ve done wrong but He’s never abusive.
Verse 12 seems a bit odd to be included in this context of the Father’s love but verses 1-6 of this chapter are telling us that we should not judge people for their actions or we will be judged. Jesus reminds us that we all have faults and imperfections. We have all done things that need to be forgiven. So we need to be mindful of correcting our own actions before we criticize and judge others.
Then Jesus sums it up with “treat others as you want them to treat you”. Forgiveness has as it root “give”. It’s not for-earness, meaning you have to earn it but giveness simply meaning it’s something we give as a gift.
Just as our Father provides for us, we need to be willing to provide for others. We can be an example of our Father to everyone we meet.
We need to reach out, extend our hands and touch them with the Father’s love.