Our Hands-On Father God

Jo Black July 03, 2024 3 1

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Our Hands-On Father God

by Jo Black

Our fantastic ministry student Jo Black, reflects on hands-on fatherhood in the context of this month’s theme In The Father’s Hands. In a world that knows only too well the pain of absent fathers and hurting families we can take comfort in the sensitive presence of our loving Heavenly Father.

There is something about hands-on dads that catches attention.

A man and son dribbling a ball along the pavement to the park. A daddy-daughter pair building sandcastles on the beach, or a tot mustering courage to jump into upstretched arms from the edge of the swimming pool.

Patient demonstrations of how to use basic DIY tools, white knuckles holding onto the passenger door during early driving practice. Tired chubby legs perched on broad shoulders after a long day out.

Cheering loudly at the end of a less than inspirational but more than long school performance having rushed from work to be there.

Dad hands take many shapes and sizes: callused, oil stained, pale from hours of bill-paying office work, tattooed with precious initials, worn and torn, safe and warm.

Our God is a hands-on Father.

Engaged with the day to day of His Son. (Luke 6:12)
Proud of who He was, even before His ministry began. (Matthew 3:17)
Shaping and preparing his children for the challenges they are facing (2 Samuel 22:34-36)
Keeps his promises (2 Chronicles 6:4)
Intuitive and generous regarding our needs (Matthew 6:8)
Delivers his children from those who would seek to harm them (Psalm 31:15)
A giver of good gifts! (Matthew 7:11)
Offers out his helping hands, even if they are not immediately accepted (Isaiah 65:2)

The list goes on.

And for some of us, it makes us so grateful for the father’s hands that have held our own.

For some, it gives shape to our own parenting or mentoring of the young people God has put in our lives.

For others, it provides the needed contrast with a lack, or a hurt, in their own experience of their earthly dad. Tell your heavenly Father about that. He cares.

Let this catch your attention today:

The hands-on Father, who withholds no good thing that we need. (Luke 11:11-13)
The hands-on Father, marked in love for his child. Your very name graven on his hand (Isaiah 49:16)
The hands-on Father, with arms open wide to welcome you home. (Luke 15:20)

Thank you Father.

You don’t hold back.

Let me delight in being your child today.

Amen

Jo Black