He Shall Be CalledNäide

EVERLASTING FATHER

One thing I can always expect when I visit my dad is to eat well. He always wants to ensure I am fed, even as a grown woman. He will ask me, “are you hungry?” and even if I say “no”, he will have some food prepared or purchased for me to eat and encourage me to go ahead and eat it, even if I’m not hungry. He has a fatherly instinct to know that I'm nourished and healthy. This is how Jesus feels about us. He has a Shepherd's heart to care for, feed, and sustain His people.

Jesus is not the Father God, but holds the name Everlasting Father to represent the fatherly care He gives to those who choose to follow Him. Thinking of Jesus as our Everlasting Father in this way reminds me of His interaction with Peter, also known as Simon before he ascended to Heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection. We can read about it in John 21:17, which states:

“He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:17 ESV)

Here, Jesus asks Peter to feed His people with the Word of God. God’s truth will feed and satisfy our souls like nothing else, and it’s just like a father to ensure that His children are well-fed.