Let's consider a few applications of God the Father and how He fathers us, especially in connection with those of us who are fathers. On one hand, God the Father insists on our respect and obedience. Remember the Lord's prayer, which addresses the Lord this way: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name"(Matt.6:9). God who is Father wants his children to approach him with respect and honor. Malachi 1:6 says, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a Father, where is my honor? And if I am your master, where is your fear? says the Lord of hosts." God as Father requires that his people respect him. Our Father is not our "homeboy" as many tee-shirts express. As fathers we should also cultivate an atmosphere of respect in our homes with our children with a proper sense of fear and authority. We do harm to our children by allowing them to speak and act in disrespectful ways. When we allow our children to disrespect us we are only allowing their hearts to breed more and more disrespect which is ultimately directed towards God himself.
On the other hand God fathers us by lavish, generous, even extravagant in his care, provision, and protection for his children (Bruce Ware). "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Rom.8:32). Lavish, generous, extravagant care for his children--this also marks the true heart and action of God, our Father. In light of this every father should ask, do my children know how much I love them? Do you lavish your children with every good gift? For many fathers who never experienced love and affection from their fathers this is a missing ingredient to reflecting our Father in heaven. As fathers, in order to reflect the image of God we must provide a godly authority with equally as much love, affection, lavishing good gifts at an extravagant level of love.
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