What a touching song this is. The love of a good father is a precious gift to children.

The British band Badfinger recorded this song in 1974 but it's still relevant today.

Listen to this song here.

I feel sad for folks who had cruel or absentee fathers. Because of this lack in their lives, they figure God must be like that too. Consequently, they reject him and his beloved son. What joy and bliss these folks miss when they do that.

Scripture has much to say about God being a father to his people. For example, Psalms 68:5 (BBE) calls him, "A father to those who have no father, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy place."

Another verse which tells of God's fatherly love is Psalms 103:13 (BBE) which reads, "As a father has pity on his children, so the Lord has pity on his worshippers."

And because our heavenly Father doesn't want us to turn into spoiled brats, he punishes us when we rebel. Proverbs 3:12 (BBE) reminds us, "For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain."

Though the Lord punishes his adopted children, he isn't a sadist as some atheists think. Luke 11:11-13 (BBE) is Christ's parable about us praying for material needs. "And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion?" If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?"

Certain people think God is a child abuser but they forget John 3:16 (BBE) which is Christ's mission statement. "For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life."

If our Lord doesn't come by Monday, I hope to post about Christians who hate folks who say that tongues and miracles ended in the first century.

Who Gives the Best Gifts?

To us Christians, the answer to this question is obvious. But why is it that our Lord gives us the best gifts?

God loves us like an excellent father. Jesus tells us in Luke 11:11 (KJV), "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?" We aren't always the best at parenting but our heavenly Father knows what would be best for us.

But did you know that making a living is also God's gift to us? Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:19 (KJV), "Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God." Thanksgiving Day has passed but we must be thankful every day for such wonderful things which he provides.

But more than physical gifts, we receive spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit. And what good are these? Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:12 (KJV) that, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church."

Of course the best gift of all is salvation. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 (KJV), "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" And what a wonderful gift it is for we who trust in the finished atonement of Christ.

And as Paul reminds us in Romans 6:23 (KJV), For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Additionally, Jesus was our gift. Mark 10:45 (KJV) testifies, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." For this reason, we worship him and celebrate his birth, death, and resurrection.

There are so many wonderful verses that I could add regarding the excellent gifts our heavenly Father provides us but this blog post would become a novel. Instead, I'll save them for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Sadly, many people assume they'll be in paradise when they die but they'll be shocked at their real destination.