Loving Father

How do you see God?

How do you see yourself?

These are two of the most important questions we can ask ourselves. In fact, they’re more connected than you might think.

Do you see yourself as a precious child of God, made in the image of a loving Father? A limitless God, whose very name, I Am, reminds us that He can’t be contained by any box. His infinite love, beauty, and unique qualities make up every part of who we are.

Or do you see yourself in another way?

I want to invite you to take a moment and reflect. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that we are deeply loved by God and that we are His precious children. Our world, and the voice of the enemy, often tell us otherwise. For many, the journey of truly seeing ourselves as children of God can be a struggle.

I used to struggle with this myself. The world and even some religious teachings seemed to place distance between me and God. They painted a picture of a God who was far removed and waiting to punish, rather than a God who is close, tender, and loving.

But I believe that this illusion of separation from God is exactly what the enemy desires—to convince us that we are distant from God, that we are not worthy of His love, or that we need to earn His affection. It’s subtle, but it's always been the goal since the first sin: to make us feel disconnected from the Father who loves us unconditionally.

Even the Pharisees during the time of Jesus missed this truth. They couldn’t comprehend a God who would dwell with us, rather than above us. They were too caught up in religious rules and separations to see the heart of God in the flesh.

Does that sound familiar to you?

I’ve been surrounded by different Christian denominations over the years, and I’ve often seen a tendency to separate, to point fingers, and to insist that they have the answer.

Sadly, too many of these experiences left me feeling more afraid than loved. "Behave, or God will strike you down" was often the message, as if God was waiting for us to fail. But that isn’t my experience of God.

To me, God is not a harsh king ready to punish, but a loving, compassionate Father who meets us where we are. A God who washed the feet of His disciples, served others selflessly, and demonstrated unconditional love.

The rigid rules and judgments that sometimes seem to dominate religious spaces are not the heart of God. As the Lord reveals in the bible, we can follow every rule and perform every ritual, but without the love of the Father behind it, it means nothing.

My personal experience of God has been one of deep love and care. Whether He’s pulled me from a river I thought would be my grave, or met me on the floor in my most broken moment, He has always been there. With me. Loving me.

I’m reminded of a scene from The Chosen, where Jesus sees Nathanael in his brokenness and lovingly calls him by name. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s heart: a Father who sees us fully, loves us deeply, and accepts us as we are.

This is the God I know. A loving Father who desires to give us everything we need, who wants to walk beside us, hand in hand, through every part of our lives. And the best part? We don’t have to wait for eternity to experience this love. We have access to it right now. In this moment.

So, I choose to walk with the Lord, hand in hand, just as I am. Allowing Him to wash away all the things that don’t belong to me, and trusting that His love will guide me through it all.

How about you? 😊

Abundant blessings to you today and always,

Nick