Faith FoundationsSample

### WEEK 1, DAY 2—GOD THE FATHER Before Jesus died on the cross, there was a gap between us and God because of sin. Although Jesus called God his Father, we couldn’t have that kind of relationship with him. But after Jesus died on the cross, we received the incredible privilege of being called God's children. This marked a switch from only being able to recognize God as a creator to now being able to know him as our Father. It’s like the difference between being an employee of a wealthy family and being adopted as a son in the family. When you’re an employee, you have to keep a certain distance, and you only have limited access to things that aren’t yours. But when you’re a son, you have full access to everything your parents own, and you can be cared for and loved in a special way. Becoming a child of God works the same way. When you allow God to become your Heavenly Father, you get full access to him. As your Father, he cares and provides for you. When you pray to him, he hears your prayers and answers you. As your Father, he can also discipline you to help you grow. In other words, he wants to be involved with your life because he loves you. The truth is that we all have different experiences and perspectives of what a father looks like, and it can be tough to get an understanding of how God can be a loving and kind Father when it’s so different from what you may have experienced with your earthly Father. But if you open up your heart to receive him as your Father and learn what it means to be his child, you will discover a love that is greater than anything anyone else can offer you—a love that is never failing and always present.