Gently rocking his daughter in his arms, he lovingly sang, “Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderful?”1 After kissing her on the forehead, he tenderly stood his daughter up keeping one hand under her arm for support.
As he slipped his other hand into hers, she wrapped her tiny fingers around his. “Okay baby, it’s time for you to walk. Take one foot and step forward,” he whispered in her ear. “You can do it,” he encouraged as he helped guide her to take several awkward steps.
IS THIS A PICTURE OF US?
Although this scene is a father and daughter, couldn’t it be us with our Heavenly Father? We are His children whom He dearly loves. He is beside us as we learn how to walk through this life. Along the way He encourages us, guides us, and tenderly holds us up as we take each unknown step.
LOVE & FAITH GO TOGETHER
Faith requires trust. How can you have faith to follow someone’s instructions if you don’t trust that the person loves you? The father’s tender love for his child and encouraging words enabled her to take her first steps. Faith in our Heavenly Father’s love for us encourages us to step out in faith.
DO YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR FAITH?
Understanding how very much our Heavenly Father loves us and wants the best for us is the first step. Through Jesus and the scriptures our confidence in His love grows strengthening and growing our faith.
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S WORDS ABOUT LOVING YOU;
I have so much love for you that I chose you to be My child,
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
1 John 3:1a
My love for you is greater than you can imagine.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Ephesians 2:4
No matter how you mess up, nothing you can ever do will separate you from My love,
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Romans 8:38-39
My love for you will never change,
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
Jeremiah 31:3
I love to cheer you on. In fact, I am your biggest cheerleader,
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you
in every good deed and word,
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NIV
I sing with joy about you!
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing,
Zephaniah 3:17
I sacrificed the person most precious to Me so that you could be with Me forever.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV
I love you, even if you don’t love Me.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
I John 4:10 NIV
Together, we can conquer anything you face,
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,
Romans 8:37
Won’t you accept our Heavenly’s Father’s love for you?
Check out a wonderful video letter reminding us of our Heavenly Father‘s love at www.fathersloveletter.com.
REFLECTION
Do you know how much our Heavenly Father loves you?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write (fill in a scripture from above) and say it aloud, help me to receive Your love for me and grow my faith. In Jesus name. Amen.
BY FAITH RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU
Comment!
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1 Isn’t she Lovely by Stevie Wonder
Photo hands, Minder
Photo God’s hand, Vilma Andrade
Photo resurrection, JESUS_is_our_only_HOPE
