Thinking and faith are closely intertwined when it comes to the Christian life. Actually, faith is thinking positively instead of negatively, hopefully instead of cynically and lovingly instead of suspiciously. Three of the most important elements in Christianity are faith, hope and love. The Bible tells us “the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13).
God’s love is fatherly.
God is called “Father” in the Old Testament as well as the new; Psalms 68:5 and 89:26, Isaiah 9:06 and 64:8 and Malachi 2:10 are examples of this. And of course this is his name throughout the New Testament. Jesus taught his disciples to begin their prayers with, “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9).
To realize what that name “father” means, look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7:9-11. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
God’s love is forgiving.
God forgives and forgets the sins we confess to him. How wonderful it is that he promises that when we turn to him, “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). And, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he [God] removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
God’s love is unchanging.
Just as a child may not understand what his parent is doing, so we may not always be able to make sense of what’s happening in our own lives. Our loving Father in Heaven may have a purpose beyond our limited human comprehension when he permits family tragedies, health crises or financial setbacks to attack us. God promises, “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5) and “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).
No wonder that John, in his letter to believers, tells us, “God is love” (I John 4:8)!
