Written by Katie Pezzutto

Do you know that God is your Father? 

Yeah, you know. As a Christian, you’ve sung it thousands of times and probably inserted it strategically into countless spiritual conversations. But the idea of God as Father is more practical than that. Truth be told, the potent practicality of an idea is only as powerful to you as your experience with it. My question to you is: have you experienced God as Father? Is His paternal nature real to you? 

I asked myself these questions last weekend. 

Three days ago, it was my husband’s birthday. No one in his family bothered to call or to show him how important he was to them or how valuable he was. Some of the most important friends, people he has known for years, didn’t ring him. My heart smashed into tiny pieces as I watched Alex stare down at his phone. Tears glistened in his gentle, hazel eyes. It perplexed and angered me that someone who gives so much was left with so little. Not even his father, the one who abandoned him then reconnected years later, took five minutes to phone his son. I didn’t know what to tell Alex. I wasn’t sure whether to ream God out in anger or ask for His help. 

Fortunately, I remembered that people have free will. We all make mistakes. Those mistakes are not God’s fault. So, in light of all of that, I chose the latter. 

As I prayed for Alex, God showed me a reel of Jesus walking toward the Jordan river. The Son of Man’s deliberate footsteps, crunching over dead grass and sand. His calloused feet exposed to harsh desert realities. None of those being baptized turned their heads to watch as he reached the murky water and stepped in. All eyes were focused on the desert rebel, Jesus’ cousin John. It’s crazy to think about, but most of the attention probably wasn’t focused on God in the flesh. Instead, the crowd’s eyes wandered to lesser things. They wanted entertainment and to feel better via a quick answer. It made me wonder: how often do I pursue my addictions without realizing He, the Solution, is standing there, closer than my breath. 

Have you ever wished for someone to understand exactly what you’re going through? Jesus may not have endured the breakup of parents or body image issues. He was most likely not bullied online. But something we often forget is that Jesus is also God, pure God. He lived in and knew past, present and future. He saw the pain we would go through. Two thousand years ago, He stepped in the Jordan knowing the pain, insecurities and worries you would be living through at this moment. He humbled himself in front of thousands of people, just so He could live out their experiences and redeem their perfect relationship with Father God. As Jesus emerged from the water, a voice boomed from heaven. “This is my Son, in who I am well pleased.” The canvas of heaven split, revealing Holy Spirit as a dove. The bird that represented peace lands on the shoulders of Jesus. The Father was pleased with His son. 

Everything that is true of Jesus is true of you. This is huge! It means Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t in vain. What He did can be used practically in your day to day understanding of who God is and who you are to Him. In short, because of the sacrifices Jesus made in both the Jordan river and Golgotha, the Father is extremely pleased with and available to you, His child. When you’ve made a mistake and feel unworthy, continue pressing into a relationship with Father God. The Lord tells us in Isaiah 55:11 that everything He says will not return empty. In other words, when God’s words are considered and implemented, they will bear results. These are the Father’s words, “I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters…” (2 Corinthians 6:18 & 2 Samuel 7:14). You are his beloved Child. You are wanted, beloved and pursued. If you find yourself doubting this, just take look at what Jesus did for you.