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Make a Difference

DAY 43 OF 365

God Wants to Be Your Dad

- Pastor DJ Oquist

“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12 (NIV)

How do you view God?

Last week, my 2-year-old son learned my name. We had some of his friends over, and they started to call for me, “DJ! DJ!” The next day, my son is about to go to sleep but then calls for me, “DJ! DJ!” Although it was one of the cutest things he had done in his life, at the same time, I didn’t want him to call me by my first name. Why? I want Oliver to know that out of every child on this planet, he is my son, and I am his dad. Any other kid can call me by my first name, but I want him to know that he and I have a special relationship.

God wants to be your dad.

The reason why God sent Jesus to save you is to be in a relationship with you. If you have given your life to Jesus, you are a son or a daughter of God. If God wanted to be a genie or a judge, He wouldn’t have called you a child.

The beauty of that statement is that God doesn’t have to call you His child. He didn’t have to save you, and He didn’t have to die on a cross. He did it because He proved His love for you.

I wonder how much our relationships with God would change if we talked to Him like our dad. Some of us speak to Him like He doesn’t care or want to know our thoughts and feelings. If you think that, take time to read the Psalms. A lot of it is David being honest with God.

Make a Difference

Take some time today to be honest with God. Talk to Him like He wants to know everything. God wants to be your dad.

As You Read:

This week, we are starting Leviticus, where the concept of God as a loving Father is emphasized. Just as a parent desires a unique relationship with their child, God desires an intimate connection with us. He sent Jesus not to judge or grant wishes merely but to establish a familial bond. Recognizing ourselves as sons and daughters of God transforms our relationship with Him.

Day 42Day 44

About this Plan

Make a Difference

We all want to make an impact on the lives of people around us. We want our lives to make a difference in our friends, family, co-workers, neighborhoods, and cities. This is done through the transformative work of Jesus Christ. The Pastors of Peoples Church hope that our weekly devotionals provide insights, reflections, and thought-provoking questions and challenges as we go on this chronological journey through the Bible.

More

We would like to thank Peoples Church for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://www.peopleschurch.org/