What Every Son and Daughter Needs

This Father’s Day I can’t help but reflect on the love of my Heavenly Father and my earthly one, and how it anchored me ever since being in a relationship with Him.

I grew up with a great earthly father who loves me and taught me much: strong work ethics, the importance of punctuality, honouring my elders, creative solution mindset and generosity towards others. Yet, just as it is with all of us, the affirmation and lessons that an earthly dad can give cannot compare with what our Heavenly Father bestows on us: His unconditional love in the form of acceptance, affection and affirmation.

In the same manner that our Father God spoke to Jesus after His baptism, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17), we can also receive such words of blessings from Him. Once we enter into a relationship with our Father through Jesus, we are adopted into His family. As children of God, we can also feel our Father God say the same words to us expressing:

His Acceptance – We see in the scripture that our Father God accepted Jesus publicly and called him son (This is My Beloved Son). In the same manner, He accepts you as son or daughter and He is not ashamed of you (Romans 15:7).

His Affection – When God said that Jesus was his beloved son, the Father showed how delighted he was with Him. God adored Jesus, and He adores you. He says in Ephesians that you are accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6)

His Affirmation – You might not have received life-giving words from your earthly father, but your Heavenly Father is showering you with words of affirmation saying He is well pleased with you, just like He said to Jesus (with whom I am well pleased). Zephaniah 3:17 says that He delights in you and rejoices over you with singing.

In the New Testament Jewish culture, the blessings of a father to his son happened on life milestones with affirming words, setting them up for success. Whether you grew up with or without the affirmation of a father, be encouraged to know that you can receive the greatest affirmation from the One Father who delights in you, no matter your background or circumstance. Allow Him today to be Your Father by receiving His acceptance, His affection, and His affirmation through Jesus Christ.

If you are a father or grandfather, there is much practical wisdom you can glean from our Father God for your children or grandchildren. Give them your acceptance, your affection and your affirmation. When you do these things, you show unconditional love to them and set them in the ways they should go (Proverbs 22:6).