Rest in the Father's love

I was at a conference last weekend and there happened to be an altar call. I walked there as you may imagine, a girl wants to get everything that God has to offer. But during my prayer, I noticed there was a little girl who was fast asleep in her father's arms right infront of me. For a minute, I wondered what drew my attention towards her but as the time went on, I realized it was that peaceful posture she had. She was in her father's arms, at rest and completely trusting her dad. If he even moved or tried to hold her up as sometimes her grip around her dad would gently slip away, she would wake up and cling to him and immediately go back to the place of rest. At some point, I completely stopped praying because I was amazed at her peaceful posture.

Later on, when I was home, I realized more than anything that as much as I admired the little girl's posture of rest as she was in her father's arms. I realized that it had more to do with the father than it had to do with the little girl. Rest and safety go hand in hand. No child would rest in the arms of someone they don't feel safe with irrespective of whether it is their parents.

Hebrews 4:9-10 says 9)"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10)For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. From this portion of Scripture, may I submit to you that rest is not only a time to take a break but it is a posture we take on as children of God, resting in our Abba Father's love and the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. On my mother's funeral, I remember as I watched her body being lowered into the ground with my siblings by my Dad and brother and thought to myself, I might as well jump in there and die with her. At that moment, I could not imagine navigating life without her guidance and protection. I wondered, would life ever be safe without her? But God is faithful, because despite the fact that I did not know Jesus then, He still knew my family and I.

Some of us may not have been raised by our parents, some of us probably don't have relationships with our fathers or mothers, others all we have is a memory of our parents as they are now resting in heaven. However, in the same breath, allow me to submit to you the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the One whose love is everlasting and never dies or fades away, He who never sleeps or slumbers (Psalm 121:4), the One who personally knew everything about you before you were formed in your mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5), Your Maker, who numbered the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7) , the Great I AM, the One who feeds the ravens who neither plant nor sow the food they eat but are nevertheless well taken care of by Him (Luke 12:24), the One who will never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8), the One who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ so we could have a new life (John 3:16), the Almighty God who created the world and rested as He envisioned everything from the beginning to the end and was completely satisfied that everything was finished including the declaration made by His Son Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:28-30). Hence, when God had rested and ceased from His work in Genesis 2:2-3, His rest also encompassed Jesus' finished work on the cross.

If earthly parents have the ability to safely hold their children that close to their chest without getting tired or dropping them just like the little girl, imagine God's everlasting love for His children (Luke 11:13). There is no shame in God's love (Romans 5:5). There is no lack in God's love (Psalm 34:10). There is no sickness in God's love (Isaiah 53:5). There is no betrayal in the Father's love because He causes everything to work out for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) . There is no fear in the perfect love of God (1 John 4:18). There is no anxiety in God's love (Psalm 23:1-2). There is no bondage in love because He who the Son sets free is forever free (John 8:36). There is no loneliness in God's love because Jesus is that Friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) and we are to cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). God's love never gives up on you, He shall leave the ninety nine to go searching for you (Luke 15:4-7). There is no death in God's love because our faith in Jesus Christ gives us everlasting life (John 6:47). There are no orphans or widows in God's love because He is the Father to the fatherless and a husband to the widows (Psalm 68:5-6). There is no contradiction about God's love for you and I because everything about Him is true and consistent (Malachi 3:6).

The question then becomes are you constantly aware of the Father's secure and never ending love for you as His forever child? Do you completely trust that He shall meet all your needs without dropping you out of His loving hands? Friend, embrace and rest in the Father's never ending love for you. Be convinced of it, without a doubt. All our Father requires is our trust and faith in Him through His Son Jesus Christ who has already given us everything we shall ever need as seen in 2 Peter 2:2-3. In this Scripture, Apostle Paul tells us that; "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3) as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue..." Amen.

I will end with this Scripture in Romans 3:3-4 NKJV;

"3. FOR WHAT IF SOME DID NOT BELIEVE? WILL THEIR UNBELIEF MAKE THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD WITHOUT EFFECT?

4. CERTAINLY NOT! INDEED, LET GOD BE TRUE AND EVERY MAN A LIAR."