Our Heavenly Father (2)
by Paul Griffin
One of the most comforting verses in the whole of the Bible is Psalm 27:10. Many of the people who’ve come to Ellel Centres over the years have grown up in dysfunctional families where one or both parents were absent, and many have grown up in families where they experienced rejection from their parents. It’s so wonderful that God’s not like our earthly parents. He will accept us. He won’t reject us.
Recently someone on one of our courses said the following:
"My father died when I was 2 years. My mother remarried when I was about 8. All that I knew of a father was abuse - physical abuse and all that. My life went spiralling downhill. I could never call God ‘Father’. For me it was always a battle ground.
Last night I was able to let God into the depths of my pain and hurt. I’d never let Him into that place before. I was able to let God bathe those wounds and heal them. I feel that now I can allow God to be my Father and I can know God in a Father-daughter relationship."
What an encouraging testimony of entering into the relationship that God wants with each one of us. Perhaps your relationship with your parents hasn’t been good. Perhaps, because of the pain received from them, you’ve put up barriers to protect yourself. In doing so, you’ll have barriers to receiving God’s love into your life. Choose to take down those barriers and allow God to be your heavenly Father. Allow Him to bathe and heal those wounds.
Prayer: Lord, I don't want there to be any barriers to you or your love in my life. Please show me those places where I have been hurt and put up barriers to protect myself. I want you to be my protector and to know your healing. In Jesus name, Amen.
Paul Griffin Paul spent 20 years working as a chemical engineer for an oil company in South Africa, the Middle East and Japan prior to going to Bible College. Paul and his wife Liz have been involved with Ellel since 1991 and are associate teachers as well as being authors of the books ‘Anger …How do you Handle it?’ and ‘Hope and Healing for the Abused.’
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