He's Got Your Back

What kind of trial, hardship, difficulty, or temporary circumstance are you enduring in this season of your life?

(Please preview video beginning at :34.)

 

 

You just previewed the accident scene from the 2009 movie, The Blind Side. Michael stopped the air bag from crushing little SJ in the front seat of his new truck. He protected young SJ. He took care of the little boy.

The same is true of our Father God. Whatever you may be enduring at this time, you can be assured that God has got you. He's got your back!

(Please preview video beginning at 1:50.)

In this scene, Coach Cotton stood up for his football player, Michael Oher, who had just been kicked by a player on the other team.  In turn, Michael told the Coach that he had his back.  Michael was determined to take a stand against "the bad guy" or the abusive player from the other team.  He took care of the so-called bad guy for the Coach.  He protected his teammates.  He had their backs.  

The same is also true of our Father. Just like the Coach in this scene saw the harmful situation that Michael was in at the time with the other side's player, God sees when someone is kicking us....when someone is not treating us right. He sees and knows every situation in our lives. Just like when Michael took care of that boy who was picking on him, our Father will take care of any person who tries to come up against us, His children. He will take a stand against the injustice. He will vindicate us! He will fight for us! He will protect us! He will have our backs!

(Please preview video beginning at 1:30 and watch until 2:40.)

Leigh Anne, the character played by Sandra Bullock, had a talk with Michael.  She reminded him that he had her back when the two of them had previously been in a bad neighborhood another time.  Leigh Anne also reminded him how he had previously stopped the airbag from hitting her young son, SJ.  Michael asked her about the rest of the family, her daughter Collins, and her husband Sean.  In this scene, she told Michael that they could also be a part of this demonstration of hers.  She knew that Michael would stop anyone who tried to hurt the family.  He would protect them.  He would have their backs.  Leigh Anne told Michael to think of his teammates in the same way as he does her family. 

Do you need to be reminded of God's protection? His goodness? His faithfulness? Think about all of your previous experiences when God came through for you. Remember all the times when God showed Himself true, good, and faithful to you.  Most importantly, know right now that He's got your back!


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

The True Nature of God

When you do not know someone or know very little about someone, you usually make incorrect assumptions or draw incorrect conclusions about that person.  The same is true of God the Father.  When we do not take the time to get to know Him more fully, we may make incorrect assumptions or draw incorrect conclusions about Him. 

If we have not had an earthly father available to us or we have had an earthly father who has been a poor example to us, we may see or know God the Father the same way.  We may think or say, "Oh, he is never around" or "He is always leaving me."  Or...we may say, "Oh, he does not love me" or "He is not a good father."  We may think that God the Father is not available to us, or He has abandoned us, or He hates us, or He is a bad Father.  However, none of that is true about our Father.

The way we see our Father affects the way we receive from Him.  Therefore, it is very important that we correctly see Him and accurately know Him as God the Father.  We will look at God's word now in order to learn more about the true nature of God.

First of all, God is love.  (1 John 4:8)  Therefore, if He is love, His primary character trait is loving.  We can know Him more fully through His love for us as His children.  Next, please look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.  If "God is love" as we just learned in 1 John 4 and "Love is patient...kind..." as we just learned in 1 Corinthians 13, then God can also be seen and known by these characteristics.  Therefore, God is patient.  He is kind.  He is...so on and so forth. We can come to know our Father as patient, kind, and so on.

David who wrote a lot of the book of Psalms had a good and close relationship with God.  He was sincere or "real" with His Heavenly Father.  It did not matter what David was going through at the time.  He knew that he could cry out or call out to His Father whenever and wherever he wanted or needed Him.  David knew that his Father God was available to him anytime and any place.  He also came to know his Father more closely and dearly.  Thus, because of David's intimate and deeply loving relationship with his Father God, he learned more about his Father's true nature through various situations in his life.  He came to rely, depend, and trust his Father more fully because of everything they had experienced together in their relationship. 

David came to know that his Father was worthy of much praise.  Now, look at Psalm 145.  In this particular Psalm, David is actually praising his Father and talks about His characteristics.  In verse 8, David says that "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love."   "The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does."  (Psalm 145:13b, NIV)  "The Lord is righteous in all his ways..."  (v17) "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."  (v18)  "The Lord watches over all who love Him..." (v20) 

Like David, we can also come to know Him more fully and accurately.  We can come to know our Father's true nature by being in a close, deep, and intimate relationship with Him.  We can also call out or cry out to our Father anytime or any place.  He is always available to us.  He is always with us!  He never leaves us!  He never forsakes us!  (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8)  He meets us exactly where we are at any given time or place.  He always loves us!  He is a good Father!

  Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Listening to God

God our Father often talks to us, His children. However, we as His children are not always listening to Him. With all of the busyness in life, sometimes we cannot hear our Father God. Oftentimes, we are too distracted or caught up in the routine and busyness of everyday life. It does not mean that our Father is not talking to us though...or, at least, trying to talk to us throughout our days. We just may not hear Him when He is talking to us.

It takes an especially attentive ear for His children to hear Him. We, as His children, must be still and listen very well to hear our Father's voice. We must also train ourselves to correctly hear His voice. There may be other voices talking to us at times. It takes much wisdom and discernment on our part when it comes to the Spirit of God. (1 John 4:1-3) Then, we must not only have the knowledge of our Father but also the experience with Him to know Him and His voice.

Of course, it is like that with anyone who is in a relationship with someone. It takes that one-on-one time with each other. It takes time to get to know one another. It certainly takes time to learn each other's voice with the tone, the inflection, and the pitch. It also takes time to distinguish that person's voice from other voices. The same is true of our relationship with our Father and the knowledge of His voice.

If we listen to the wrong voices, we can be led in the wrong direction and eventually down the wrong path. Therefore, it it very important to know our Father's voice. In addition, it is important that we really listen intently to Him. Sometimes, He may only say something once. Other times, He may try to tell us something more than once for our benefit. Either way, it is beneficial for us to listen for His still small voice. We, as His children, must be very attentive and not allow other voices to drown out His still small voice.

Your Father is talking to you. Are you listening?


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

"Father Knows Best"

Have you ever watched the old television program, "Father Knows Best"? The black and white TV syndicated show from the 50's centers on the father in a family of five. The ensemble cast starred Robert Young as the father, Jane Wyatt as the mother, Elinor Donahue as the oldest daughter, Billy Gray as the son, and Lauren Chapin as the youngest daughter. Anyway, in the show, there were always lessons to be learned from the father.  He normally taught all of his children life lessons at one point or another and not necessarily at the same times either.

The same is true today! Our Father teaches us, His children, lessons in life. There are always lessons to be learned from Him. During our journey, He teaches us things we need to know for our individual lives. Some lessons are easier to learn than others. Then, there are those lessons that we may need to learn repeatedly until it sinks in.  Sometimes, we may be too strong-willed or independent... trying to do things on our own in our own way and in our own timing.  Other times, we may be just too hard-headed or hard-hearted to get it the first time around.  Therefore, we have to repeat the lesson for us to get it.  However, many times it takes us to get it; it will be re-taught to us.

One instance is when the children wandered around the wilderness for 40 years.  (Numbers 14:33-35)  Another example is when Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days.  The devil tempted Him during that time. Jesus went through a time of tests then. He also learned some lessons. However, He listened and learned what He needed to know and got out of there as soon as possible.  (Matthew 4:1-11)

A few of those lessons…

Jesus was obedient to His Father during this time of testing.  He was loyal and faithful to His Father's word.  Jesus used His authority and spoke to the devil at every turn.  

Through the times of trials and testing, we learn and grow more in Christ.  (James 1:2-4) We become more like Jesus in every way.  That is what our Father desires for us in order for us to fulfill our purpose in His plan.  (Jeremiah  29:11-13)  Our Father is strengthening and equipping us in these times.  Jesus is increasing, so we must decrease.  (John 3:30)

Therefore, let us listen to our Father.  Learn the lessons we need for our lives.  Allow Him to teach us our lessons.  Then, we can move on too.  That way, we can accomplish what our Father has for us in our lives.  In addition, it will be so much easier and better for us afterwards.  Afterall, our Father knows everything!  So, He definitely knows best!  

Prayer:

Father, help us to be more like Jesus in every way. Teach us our individual lessons and help us to be receptive to all of them. We do not want to be like the children who wandered around the wilderness for 40 years. Please help us to learn all of the lessons necessary for us to get out of our wildernesses, so we can be more like Jesus and also do our Father’s will for our lives. Thank you, Father, for teaching us and helping us all for your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name! Amen!


Copyright 2010 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.