Go back and read that line again. Read it slowly and out loud and let the contents of it just sink in. We all have different experiences and interpretations of the word Father. Whether our biological fathers were absent (emotionally or physically) or present and showered us with support and affection, it is our duty as Queens to search out the truth concerning our heavenly Father. He always knew that life would have its way of tainting the truth and that is why He spends our lifetimes beckoning us onto Him and whispering in the night that He loves us deeply and He is Abba – a good Father.
We have those moments in life where it just seems like one thing after the other. Our relationships don’t seem to grow, we constantly find ourselves in a place of loneliness, we seem stuck at work and every door of opportunity is firmly shut, we walk misunderstood, undervalued and underappreciated. After analysing our various circumstances, we conclude that something is against us, Love is evil and God is far away and not for us and he can’t be good. I have come to realise that this is the greatest lie to ever poison mankind – that God is not good.
Let us breakdown the different facets of who God is and see what truths we can pull from this. The Bible was not originally written in English and in translation some depth was lost. God is so multifaceted and some of the original names unveil so much about who God is and reveals His heart towards us. So here are a few names that have spoken to me personally:
EL ROI: “God of Seeing/God Who Sees Me” (Genesis 16:13) – the name ascribed to God by Hagar, who was alone and desperate in the wilderness but was still being watched over by God – When the world rejected her she was sure that God saw her
YHWH (YAHWEH): This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3). The sovereign LORD
YAHWEH – RAPHA: “The Lord Who Heals” (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who heals you” both in body and soul, which also denotes His great power
EL OLAM: “Everlasting God” (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time, and He contains within Himself the very cause of time itself – God without boundaries. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” – He is consistent and does not change.
ABBA: It is a term expressing warm affection and confidence. It has no perfect equivalent in our language, but was often used by Jesus when speaking about or addressing God (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)
These are just a fraction of the names attributed to our God. It is important for us to constantly remind ourselves of how supreme our God is. He is not a man or human in any shape or form. He is fully Spirit and sovereign – there is no evil in Him, so for us to reduce Him to our earthly experiences is an extreme injustice. Not only to Him but also ourselves as we limit experiencing the goodness of God. All the above names scream goodness and deep deep love and affection. Our definitions need redefining and our perspectives need readjusting. The fact of the matter is that we live in a fallen world and we wake up daily bombarded with news that support the case that God is not good. Therefore, we must make it our duty to replace this lie with the truth – daily. By the time, we wake up we have completely forgotten who God is. So, fight with all your might to preserve the truth that God is good, even if you have to write it in bold letters above your bed that God is a Good Father and God is Love.
The song written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown manages to paint so well the beauty of the Good God we have on our side, who fights for us, sees us, saves us, heals us and loves us so deeply…
Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You’re pleased with me
And that I’m never aloneYou’re a good good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I amOh, and I’ve seen many searching
For answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching
For answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need
Before we say a wordCause You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to usOh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love, love, love
By Dorcas Payne