DAY 5

Like a Father Carrying His Son

“ ‘The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.” Deuteronomy 1:30-33 NKJV

God expresses His love for Israel in the language of a Father taking good care of His son. God is to Israel everything that a good father is to his young son.

God leads the way. He doesn’t send His children wandering helplessly in the desert of life. God provides orientation and direction to His family.

He fights for His children. Acting as a Father, He doesn’t leave them defenseless. He watches that no one will prey on them. He carries His firstborn son on His shoulders when he has no more strength to walk in the wilderness. He bears the weaknesses of His people.

God goes before Israel to search for a place for them to pitch their tents. He goes ahead and prepares a place of rest and safety. He displays His fatherly care in every possible way toward Israel, thus revealing His emotions.

God is so near Israel. He walks with her and shares her existence and circumstances. As a Father, God is neither distant nor indifferent. He is the opposite of an absent father. God is actively involved in Israel’s life journey. He continually brings positive and helpful input.

Prayer

Our Father,

We bless Your Holy Name. We praise You for demonstrating Your fatherly love to Israel in many practical ways. Your care reveals who You are. You delight in being actively involved in the life of the children of Israel. You help the weary. You defend the weak. You go before Your people and show the way. You enjoy walking with them and surrounding them with safety. It breaks Your heart when they reject Your helping hand. It causes You sadness when they want to walk without You.

Reveal Yourself to the Jewish people. Let them know that You desire a Father-to-son relationship and a Father-to-daughter relationship with them. Show them that Jesus the Messiah is the only Way to You, that He is the access point to Your Father’s heart. Let them see they can enter into an intimate relationship with You by believing in their Messiah.

Make known Your tender care for Israel to the Body of Christ. Show us how much You love Your firstborn son. Impart Your love for Israel to our hearts.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.