It's very difficult, because of early traumatic experiences, for many Christians to embrace calling God Father. My heart goes out to all, especially men, who are struggling with being repelled by God's title as Our Father.
I recently shared with someone, who is struggling with this, that it has
helped me to realize that My God in Heaven is not like the father that I had here on earth. He is the Father that I wish I
had always had, the Father that I should have had.
Thinking like this helps because it takes the focus off of the earthly father, who was never able to be the example of a perfect father. God in Heaven, the Father of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, has come to me to fulfill all that I did not receive through my earthly father.
I am not with my Heavenly Father physically but that is coming at the end of time. I can't yet touch him and hug him, but one day soon I will be with him in my new, physical, glorified body.
For now, as I grow close to him spiritually, he fulfills all that I need in a father. Why call God father? He restores and repairs what was done, not done and what I did not receive from earthly parents.
My growing spiritual relationship with God The Father supersedes the physical needs of touch as I learn to crucify my flesh and bring my body under.
God is the key, the most important
connection for us. Jesus says throughout the Word that he has come to
restore us to The Father. He is the link to The Father. The only way
that we can reach The Father is through him. He and The Father are also
One.
Knowing Christ and growing in Christ must include coming to
accept and know The Father as The Father, even if we call Him something
else because we haven't yet accepted the word father.
He is fully aware of the shortcomings of our parents, guardians, keepers and those adults who had such a huge impact on our formative years.
He has come in the form of his Holy Spirit to comfort us and guide us into a new experience of love, fatherly love. Embrace him as Father. Call him Father, and be healed.
