SHOW US THE FATHER!

BARBARA E. PERKINS

SHOW US THE FATHER!

In John 14:8 Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” What can we gleam from the word of God about Him—His nature? In Exodus 34:6-7, God revealed Himself to Moses, 6 “And the Lord passed before him (Moses) and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty...” In Isaiah 55:8-9 God’s word says of Him, 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” In Isaiah 55:11, God’s word says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” In Psalm 138:2, God’s word says, “I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” Then in 1 John 4:7-8, God’s word says, 7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE.” This is a very brief picture of the God that I love, trust, and serve. The Lord God is merciful, gracious, longsuffering, abounding in goodness and truth, forgiving and He doesn’t clear the guilty. He does not think like us and His ways of doing things are much higher than our ways. God keeps His word and He places it above all His name. Above all, GOD IS LOVE! He is loving and kindhearted. He is sufficient for me! My Heavenly Father, God, is so WONDERFUL!