Seven Days with the Prodigal Father Sýnishorn

 The One Word that Describes God More than Any Other  

  While encouraging His followers to trust the Father for their needs, as He so often did, Jesus pointed to examples of God’s faithfulness as revealed through nature. In this case He talked about the way in which the Lord fed the ravens and bejeweled the fields with lilies, assuring His disciples that they were worth much more than birds and flowers. And after urging them to seek God’s Kingdom first and trust Him for the rest, He followed up with these reassuring words, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NKJV). 

Jesus understood the intense insecurities associated with trusting the unseen God, who eclipsed the five senses, for tangible provision that strengthened those same senses. He realized that it would demand a very courageous faith to trust in God’s reckless love, so He emphasized the Lord’s true essence and identity as their Father. And He did it in a remarkably uplifting manner with especially comforting words that reassured them it was their Father’s good pleasure to give them His Kingdom. Thus, He let them know that they were beloved and would be provided for just as any father provides for his children. This was something that they could relate to because it was what fathers do!

Throughout the Gospel accounts, the one word that Jesus used over and over again to describe God more than any other, was the word, “Father.” And in the original language, it was a deeply affectionate term — a word that today would be better translated, “Daddy.” If there is one person who would recklessly love you more than any other human being, it would be your Daddy — and that was what Jesus wanted His followers to understand about God more than anything else… That God was their Daddy and committed to loving them recklessly, with heavenly abandon.