Treat your wife with understanding as you live together." 1 Peter 3:7: "In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives.Proverbs 30:18-19: "There are three things that amaze me-no, four things that I don't understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.".1 Corinthians 16:14: "Do everything in love.".For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church." Ephesians 5:28-29: "In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.For what son is not disciplined by his father?" Hebrews 12:7: "Endure hardship as discipline God is treating you as sons.Malachi 4:6: "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.".Deuteronomy 1:31: "There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.".Luke 15:20: "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.".When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble." Proverbs 4:11-12: "I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths.Psalm 32:7-8: "You are my hiding place you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.".Proverbs 23:24: "The father of a righteous child has great joy a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.".Proverbs 23:22: "Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.".But I'll never remove my gracious love from him." When he does wrong, I'll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. 2 Samuel 7:14-15: "I will be a father to him, and he'll be a son to me.Proverbs 22:6: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.".Psalm 103:13: "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.".2 Corinthians 6:18: "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.".Proverbs 1:8: "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching.".Ephesians 6:4: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.".Although many times earthly fathers do not live up to the ideal, God promises that, in Him, no one has to be without a perfect Father. He models for us the characteristics He had in mind when He designed fatherhood. He invites us to call out to Him when we are in trouble (Psalm 50:15), to cast all our worries on Him (1 Peter 5:7), and to enjoy His company (1 Corinthians 1:9: Psalm 116:1 1 John 5:14). He offers to fill the role of a Father (John 6:37 Deuteronomy 1:31). Psalm 27:10 says, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” God knows that many times earthly fathers have been absent or have not done their job (Ephesians 6:4). God has a special place in His heart for the orphans and fatherless (Deuteronomy 24:20 Jeremiah 49:11 James 1:27). Although He possesses characteristics of both father and mother (Isaiah 66:13), He chooses the masculine word because it also denotes strength, protection, and provision (Psalm 54:4). Throughout Scripture, God describes His love for us as that of a caring parent (Isaiah 49:15 John 16:26–27 2 Corinthians 6:18). Jesus taught His followers to address God as Father (Luke 11:2). Ideally, an earthly father will meet those needs. We all have a need to be loved, cherished, protected, and valued. God planted that understanding in our hearts. Even if we did not have earthly fathers who treated us well, we have an intrinsic understanding of what a good father should be. He presents Himself as a Father because we all know what a father is and does. He could have described Himself as a benevolent dictator, kind boss, or patient landlord. Psalm 68:5 says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” Of all the ways the Lord God Almighty could have chosen to relate to humanity, He chose the language of family.
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