God is the ultimate Father figure for us. Whatever our experiences of earthly fathers have been like, God is the perfect Father for us all. He knows us better than we know ourselves. The Bible says: ‘I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too – your reassuring presence, coming and going’ (Psalm 139:1-6 MSG). It’s an amazing thought that God knows all about us, and is always with us. He never leaves us to deal with anything on our own. He knows what’s best for us and wants us to have a close relationship with Him. He’s willing and ready to guide us when we’re unsure which way to go. He’ll keep us on the right track if we surrender all our ways to Him. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). We can trust Him because He’s faithful. He always keeps His promises. He always cares about us. The Bible says: ‘My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction’ (NLT). Here Solomon is talking about listening to our earthly parents, but it applies to listening to God too. God shows us which way to go, He reminds us of what is right. And when we make mistakes, He doesn’t angrily punish us, but gently shows us where we’ve gone wrong. He forgives us and shows us how we can grow. His instructions are perfect, He knows exactly what we should do in every situation.
