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Chapter 13: The Eternal Fatherhood of God
In Psalm 103:11, it says, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward
them that fear him.” That is a lot of mercy. “As far as the east is from the west…” How far is
that? I know if I take off in the plane and start flying west and just keep flying, when do I stop
flying west? You have to turn around. You can just keep flying west from now on. It’s a long
way. Verse 13 continues, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the L
ORD
pitieth them that fear
him.” The Lord is merciful to us, and He looks upon us. He is kind and compassionate toward us,
just like a father is with his child whom he loves. All good fatherhood has come from God, Who
is the Great Father.
Reason number 13 we are sure it is God’s will for all to be healed today is because of the
eternal fatherhood of God.
Ephesians 3:14-15 says, “…I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom
the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” I like the sound of that: Father and family.
Church is not supposed to be a cold institution. It’s a family, and it’s supposed to feel like a
family because we are family forever—all backgrounds, from every tribe, every race, every
background, and every language. If you’re genuinely born again, we are all brothers and sisters.
Everybody who has been born into the family of God is part of the eternal permanent family. So
we might as well work it out because we’re going to be looking at each other throughout the
ages. We might as well get over ourselves now, and we might as well forgive each other now
because we’re going to be together. Who knows—that person who you’ve had trouble with may
live right beside you in heaven. That would be just like the Lord. You have to know that He
loves him or her every bit as much as He loves you. I don’t care how they’ve acted or what
they’ve done. God is merciful.
One of the most amazing things to me about God—about Who He is, His character, and His
ability—is His patience, which is part of His love. I mean, when your patience is gone, shot, and
you’re ready to strangle someone, and you’ve put up with all that you are willing to, His patience
has barely begun. You should be glad He’s that way with them because He’s also that way with
you and me. He is slow to get angry, of great mercy, long-suffering, kind, and ready to forgive,
the Bible says. (Psalm 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13) He looks over all of His children like a father
does his child because that’s what we are. We are His children, and He is our Father.
In prophesying about the New Covenant to come, they knew God as God the Almighty, Creator
of heaven and earth, and they were continuously referred to as His servants. They knew Him as
God, Creator, and Judge.
But in Galatians 3:29, he said, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs
according to the promise,” talking about us Gentiles who can’t even trace back to who our
forefathers were.
