I purchased this book after Paige Benton Brown recommended it, and I’m so glad! McClung’s insights based on ministering in three cultures provide valuable insights into Scripture. We will see how heart wounds from earthly fathers impact a person profoundly, and how he or she desperately needs to see how different is our heavenly Father.
I’d like to set up this week with a scene from “Tree of Life,” a profoundly contemplative movie by Terrence Malick. It’s about suffering, beginning with a quote from Job. Brad Pitt plays the abusive father and Jessica Chastain, the mother who is full of grace. Many feel Malick’s movies too ethereal or lacking a plot line, but I find them beautiful, if at times a bit long and mysterious. Malick is a devout Catholic, and I have met so many “recovering Catholics” who have experienced abuse or a lack of grace in the Catholic church.
But several of those Catholic friends, when they come to Bible study for the first time, discover a very different heavenly Father than they imagined, and come into a personal relationship with Christ. I’m certainly not saying that there are not Catholics who have a personal relationship with Christ, for there are. I’ve just mentioned Malick, and last week we looked at Henri Nouwen. But I also know many Catholics who have turned away from God or fear coming to Him. (They may come to Mary instead.) How vital it is for any who have had “father wounds,” whether from their own earthly fathers or from abuse in the church, to understand the depth of the Father’s love, and why we can come boldly to Him.
McClung ministered in Australia, a continent full of “father wounds.” He explains that many early settlers of Australia were convicted in England for their crimes, “some for as little as stealing a loaf of bread.” (Think Les Mis) “Australia was seen as a giant penal colony, and many of the prison wardens were priests and ministers. Imagine how most men felt about God if they were sent unjustly to an Australian prison only to have their sentence enforced by a priest or minister. As John Smith says, “Australia has a history that causes many not to believe in God, when really they should not believe in man!” McClung says, “They have not rejected God, but a false image of God.”
What stands out to you from the above? What do you want to remember? Do you disagree with anything?
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
Monday: What God Has Your Loved One Rejected?
McClung writes: “Aussies themselves will tell you that most Aussies couldn’t care less about God. But I don’t believe that. Aussies have not rejected God — they have rejected false images of Him. The god they reject, I reject also.”
This has caused me to ponder and wish I could have another chance to communicate with those who seem to have rejected God. Once at pickleball when inviting a woman to our Bible study, she told me “I was abused sexually by my priest as a child. It ruined my marriage, my life. I’m really not interested.” I did commiserate and told her God is not like that, but I could have handled it better. I wish I had said, “The god you reject, I reject also!” I also am going to start asking people what they think God is like so we are at least on the same page!
McClung looks at Michal, the daughter of King Saul. He says: “Michal’s life clearly illustrates the pain of a “wounded” or “broken” spirit. Michal was raised in an environment charged with friction and conflict…She was moved between the men in her life like a pawn in a chess game.”
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
Tuesday: What is God Like?
Floyd McClung’s five-year-old daughter asked him: “What does God look like, Daddy?”
He said, “He looks like Jesus.”
This reminded me of a question my stylist’s 6-year-old had: “Does God have feet?” She does not know Scripture so asked me. I told her “Yes, because Jesus is God made flesh. His feet were pierced for us.”
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
Wednesday: The God Who Sees
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated?
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine!
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can.
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here.
Thursday: Imperfect Shadows
13. Even the best fathers are imperfect shadows of our Heavenly Father. Let’s consider some verses that show us that. McClung says our past experiences color how we relate to God. So let’s consider first how well or poorly our “shadow” did, and then God is better.
A. How giving as your earthly father? What does Jesus tell his disciples in Matthew 7:11?
B. Did your earthly father discipline you harshly so that you back away from God like a beaten pup? How had God been gentle and forgiving with you?
C. Has your mother or father forsaken you? What does Isaiah 49:15 say? And over and over, what does Scripture say about “orphans?”
D. Was your father’s love conditional? How is God’s love different? (Think about the Father in the Prodigal Sons.)
E. Was your father affectionate? Read how God expresses His affection in Hosea 11:1-4.
Friday: Near to the Brokenhearted – Always
Even the best earthly father cannot always be with us and cannot live forever. But we are promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Lately, after reading A Sea Between Us, a true story of a Cuban refugee who faced so many dangers, I’ve been doing what he did through the day, telling my soul: Fear not for I AM with you. My Father loves me and will never leave me.
I’d like you to share a prayer of praise for this and tell us about a song that ministers to you that we might sing or listen to as well.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today?
I grow so much from the good minds and passionate hearts that participate here. Last week as we discussed our own legalism and the topic of divorce, our own Susan brought a fresh translation of the Malachi KJV translation of “God hates divorce” from Lisa Terquest. So I took it to Dorian Coover-Cox who is an eminent Hebrew scholar at Dallas Seminary and helped me incredibly wade through the Hebrew of Esther. Seems like Terquest was on pretty solid ground though it is one of those challenging passages — so thought you might all be interested. To me it does fit with our compassionate God who has a good plan for marriage and indeed does hate what divorce does to the family but who also fights for the abused woman:
Malachi 2:16
24tc The verb a´nDc (sane}) appears to be a third person form, “he hates,” which makes little sense in the context, unless one emends the following word to a third person verb as well. Then one might translate, “he [who] hates [his wife] [and] divorces her…is guilty of violence.” A similar translation is advocated by M. A. Shields, “Syncretism and Divorce in Malachi 2, 10-16, ” ZAW 111 (1999): 81-85. However, it is possible that the first person pronoun yIkOnDa (}anokhi, “I”) has accidentally dropped from the text after yI;k (ki). If one restores the pronoun, the form a´nDc can be taken as a participle and the text translated, “for I hate” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
24sn Though the statement “I hate divorce” may (and should) be understood as a comprehensive biblical principle, the immediate context suggests that the divorce in view is that of one Jewish person by another in order to undertake subsequent marriages. The injunction here by no means contradicts Ezra’s commands to Jewish men to divorce their heathen wives (Ezra 9-10).
25tnHeb “him who covers his garment with violence” (similar ASV, NRSV). Here “garment” is a metaphor for appearance and “violence” a metonymy of effect for cause. God views divorce as an act of violence against the victim.
As you can see, it is not a simple matter of contradicting one translation and maintaining that the original language actually says . . . .
When NIV says, “Does violence to the one he should protect,” it is offering an explanation of the imagery of covering a garment with violence (“hamas,” which sounds like the name of the terrorist group for good reason). Such a man is being thoroughly and publicly harmful by what he is doing. The book is describing infidelity/treachery against the Lord, beginning with Israel as a whole, then the priests and the tribe of Levi, then Judah as a whole, and then individuals in their covenant relationships with one another, with divorce as a prime example. Meanwhile, people are complaining and accusing God. He, however, has not changed and has major plans for the future, to say the least. Anyone hearing Malachi should turn from their infidelity of all sorts, and some did (3:16–18).
Am I making sense? I hope what I’ve said helps; if questions remain, fire away.
What a difficult job translators have, Dee! The Hebrew language seems very complicated to me! Thank you for taking the time to research this, and for your friend Dorian’s efforts as well!
Dee, thanks for this information, and thanks to Susan for sharing. I have been out of the loop in helping our daughter settle in her new place. One more day to finish cleaning up her apartment and her move will be complete! I love this topic on the fatherhood of God.
What stands out to you from the above? Those who have experienced the lack of grace in the Catholic Church, but there are Catholics with personal relationship with Christ. What do you want to remember? They have not rejected God, but a false image of God. Do you disagree with anything?
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
He stays with me even though I have questioned this week the genuineness of my connection to God.
Judy, I have those feelings at times when I have sensed I am not connecting with God. I often have to correct my thoughts and align them with His Word. May you feel Him staying with you. I love having you here.
2. Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
This song by Christa Wells entitled “Velveteen” ~ This song has been like a balm to my soul this past week. Christa is a Christian recording artist who went through a divorce she did not want in recent years. She has five children. This song was born out of this great loss. The title is in reference to the book “The Velveteen Rabbit”. Especially the part with the converstaion between the Rabbit and the Skin Horse:
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.”Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
Love spoke my name
And I felt life run through me
Reborn in the flame
Nothing can undo me
Ooh, I believeThat I’m becoming
So if my beauty starts to fade
Well, I’ve been held in a thousand ways
And if my heart looks broken in
Then I’ve been brave enough to live
If perfect turns to perfect mess
And all your love is all that’s left
Then I’m as real as real can be
Call me Velveteen
Thank you for taking the time, Nila, to put these excerpts from the Velveteen Rabbit and from the song, borne of deep unwanted pain. I want to mediate more on the deep meaning here. So good to read your comments as I’ve missed you here for a while.
Nila, Thank you so so much for sharing the excerpts from The Velveteen Rabbit (my favorite Children’s book) and from Christa’s song. I looked up and listened to Christa’s song on you tube~ it so spoke to my heart. I loved it so much that I listened to the next song, “One Day”. I needed both of those today. I was so touched by her lyrics that I listened to her speak about how she came to write the song~ and how she learned the depth of God’s love through suffering. I loved her comment about when you have been so stripped down in life that the love of God is all that is left and you know that “That is Enough”. Thank you again, I have experienced the Love of God today through you and your sharing His love through this.
Patti,
Yes, Christa’s story is surely one of beauty from the ashes. Glad you found her story behind the song. I have also listened to her in a podcast interview.
I respect her courage.
Nila, I will try to find her podcast interview! Yes, she has great courage.
Ernema T Boettner
May 4, 2023
Thank you, Nila, for sharing about Christa. I checked her website and what a story she has to tell. It really is true, time and time again, I see God turning our ashes into beauty. Only He can do that. “And all your love is all that’s left, Then I’m as real as real can be…”
Share how you have experienced the gentleness of Christ this week. I have admitted here that I have struggled my whole life to believe the love of God for me, not because of Him, but because of me, and believing there is some type of loophole which lawfully prevents His love for me due to my utter sinfulness. It is very likely my lifelong struggle was due to a very painfully conflicted lifelong relationship with my father who was a pastor and a missionary. I have proclaimed His boundless love for sinners time and time again, but my own heart has seemed often barred from His love. But He is teaching me slowly and gently through many difficult circumstances and the veil is beginning to be lifted so that I can see and feel His great love for even me. I just came through a major surgery which did not go well and I was taken back to surgery the next week and still suffer from some complications. In the midst of all of that, a routine mammogram showed abnormalities which did not resolve with repeated imaging. Therefore, I found myself lying hopelessly and quite uncomfortably on a table this past Friday undergoing multiple biopsies. I had been so frightened at the prospect of the biopsies themselves (not frightened at the potential findings) and God graciously gave me a precious set of verses in Daily Light which I have read daily for close to 40 years. “His left hand is under my head, and His right hand does embrace me.” And “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” On that cruel uncomfortable table two days ago, being constantly reminded not to make a single slight move, I flooded my mind with those dear attestations of His great love for me. I was physically quite uncomfortable, yet I reveled in the fact that His own dear nail-scarred hands were tenderly embracing me as He Himself laid there on that table with me. I hope I shall never forget the warmth and comfort and love that overwhelmed my poor heart, and I know it came directly from God Himself to hurting little me. He loves even me!
Oh, the great great love of our Father!! I love how He came to you when you needed Him so, and in a place where you could have felt so alone. He is ever faithful. He loves you so! Thank you for sharing this, Missy. I pray that you remember that moment of the love, comfort and warmth of our Father’s mighty hand on you, forever. I am praying for you daily.
Missy, yes, He loves YOU. Your last sentence….take out the word “even” and let it say, “He loves me!” I am praying for your healing; to go through two surgeries and complications and then undergoing biopsies – that’s a lot to handle.
Hugs, Missy. I thought of the song by Casting Crown, “Just Be Held” upon reading this: “I reveled in the fact that His own dear nail-scarred hands were tenderly embracing me as He Himself laid there on that table with me.”
Some words to the song:
Lift your hands, lift your eyesIn the storm is where you’ll find MeAnd where you are, I’ll hold your heartI’ll hold your heartCome to Me, find your restIn the arms of the God who won’t let go.
Missy, I missed all of this. I am sorry. I love your thoughts of Him holding you! It’s how I managed through my own radiation treatments almost 10 years ago now. Yes, He loves you. My verse was Isaiah 41:13,
“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.””
Isaiah 41:13 ESV
I always liked to add my name after the word “God” to make it personal.
I am praying for your recovery and any news with the biopsies.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
He says he might have another chance to be killed by the Philistines. 4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
He didn’t believe her the first time and sent troops back. He didn’t care that David was her husband and she would be left without her man.
What stands out to you from the above? It’s sobering to know that such a great responsibility is placed on the earthly fallen parents, especially the fathers of our world. Their ability to shape a person’s life either positively or negatively. What do you want to remember? To be more forgiving to my earthly parents for their failures. Do you disagree with anything? No Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week. This past week, I have had a lot of times where I’ve noticed that I have hymns and scripture songs running through my mind throughout my work day. It helps to keep my attitude positive and relaxed, regardless of the situation.
That is so sweet, Dawn, that you want to learn to forgive. I do too. And I’m learning to do it the hard but best way as I realize as I age that I also have the capacity to have wounded someone unintentionally. I am learning it is true that God is merciful to the merciful and I so much need His mercy more and more.
I love your pure grace of being more forgiving of our earthly parents. This is such an important life lesson and I always want to practice it. Looking back at raising my own children, there are so many things I wish I had done better and been more mature about. I thank our Father and my parents for the things I did right.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21? Saul wanted David dead. So he was hoping Michal would be a snare so Philistines would kill David.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal. Saul was going to kill David, whom his daughter loved, at their home.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it? That he get his wife Michal back because he d paid a bride price for her of 100 Philistine foreskin
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here? Her husband wept and went with her until Abner told him to go home .
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts? Yes I think it’s possible. It appears Paltiel loved her. So she was taken from her home to be with a man who’d left her, not sought her before, and had chosen other wives. She figured out Saul had used her to try to get David. So you are right she was a pawn in her father s and David s battle. Her view of God could have been she was something to be used, not loved and cherished
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you? He was a good man who worked hard to provide for his family. He didn’t often show affection. I’m not certain. I don’t think I felt rejected by him, but maybe it has an underlying problem of lack of self confidence.
Thank you for your thoughts on Michael, Judy. Her story actually came up in my daily Bible reading today and I read it with greater interest and greater sadness for this most unfortunate woman whom I had never thought twice about before. She really was a victim of her father and her first husband and taken away from the only true love she had in her life. So very sad. And then she also never bore children which must have added greatly to her deeply sad life.
I often have seen Michal in a not-so-good light. I am reminded once more to refrain from judging others and to be willing to hear their stories. And to be gracious.
Bev Jensen
May 2, 2023
Abba, Father (Father Wounds)
Sunday:
What stands out to you from the above? What do you want to remember? Do you disagree with anything?
“We will see how heart wounds from earthly fathers impact a person profoundly, and how he or she desperately needs to see how different is our heavenly Father.”
This comment from the opening paragraph stood out to me saying
that we desperately need to see how different is our Heavenly Father. I feel our view of God is all important to how we function in our Christian walk through life.
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
—Twice last week God brought teaching to me on “Rest”.
On Wednesday evenings our small group uses the Paul David Tripp App by reading and discussing the questions on his devotional called Wednesday’s Word. In last weeks lesson he talked about the fatherly love of God and said “Rest for children is not found in figuring everything out, but in trusting their parents, who have figured it out. …..Loving parents keep many things from their children, precisely because they wouldn’t be able to bear the weight of knowing. “ He went on to say “Rest of heart is always personal. And peace of soul is always relational. …. God answers our desire to know and understand not by giving answers, but by giving us himself.”
I think that those last 4 words say it all (by giving us himself).
Then on Sunday we had a guest preacher who taught from Hebrews 4. He said the theme of the book of Hebrews is “Jesus is better!” He talked about verse 9 which says “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,”. He made the point that verse is specific to (the people of God). Not any other kinds or groups of people but only the people of God. He made 2 points. One that the people of God are looking for rest because it has never been easy to be a follower of God. In following God he takes us to hard places in this life. So we look for and long for rest.
And secondly ever since sin entered the world man has been looking for rest because nothing on this earth can give us what we are longing for. He went on to share the answer is found in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
So it comes back to what Tripp said that God answers our desires by giving us himself. It is in him alone we find our rest.
Bev, Thank you for sharing both of the these lovely teaching brought to you on “Rest”. Such good reminders. and I love this: “Rest of heart is always personal. And peace of soul is always relational. …. God answers our desire to know and understand not by giving answers, but by giving us himself.” I think that those last 4 words say it all (by giving us himself).
Just an update. Last week I wasn’t able to give the time to be on the blog because we had 5 of our grandchildren ages 7 to 17 with us for 7 days. Our son Tyce and his wife had planned a personal retreat to the Colorado mountains a number of months ago to a cabin that is provided to free to Pastors. The timing for getting away was truly of God in light of Tyce’s former pastor and good friend taking his own life the week before. He and Bethany greatly needed some extended private time alone to grieve and find rest in Jesus. God provided it graciously in a way they never knew they’d need it. But my life ramped up considerably cooking, doing laundry and several of us passing around a cold virus. I felt supported in prayer by family and friends in prayer and praise God for giving me strength. Our 9 year old granddaughter with spina bifida has some 24/7 special needs for her care and she had a couple of days of a tummy bug but we survived and managed fine. I truly thank God for a modern day washer and dryer. It wasn’t easy but I knew it was where I was supposed to be and we had some great times interacting and playing games as well.
As I read through the comments so far this week thank you Dee for that info from your friend Dorian at Dallas.
Also to Miriam oh my heart goes out to you in the physical trial you have been through. I have two close friends who have been through those biopsies and they both were clinging to God through each of their experiences. Your testimony of the peace of God’s presence is powerful. Such an incredibly gracious working for you to experience him giving you himself. I pray if it please Him to give you a good report. I ask for his comfort and rest to be yours. You are truly loved by Him and by this group. 💕
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16. A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
He wants his wife back.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
I can definitely see this. How would I feel if I were thrown around like a pawn? She helped to save him and he won’t fight for her? She probably felt the way many of us do when we are struggling in life, like God doesn’t care. Back then, they didn’t have Jesus as we do. They were more legalistic, following the rules or being looked upon with disfavor.
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3? W telling them not to have troubled hearts and that there is plenty of room in His Father s house and Jesus would go and prepare a place for them. He would take them to Himself. Words of encouragement and affirmation that the separation is not permanent and that He’d even prepare a place for them. They were wanted.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9? Philip asked to be shown the Father. Jesus questions how can you ask after being with me this long. If you have seen me you have seen the Father.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that? Book has been recommended to me but I haven’t read it.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like. Mark 10 rich young ruler vs 21 Jesus looking at him, loved him. Jesus saw him and knew the young man couldn’t accept His words. Yet Jesus loved him. Woman with issue of blood Luke 8:48 Jesus called her daughter. The untouchable woman Was called daughter She was included Such tenderness We are tenderly unconditionally loved We are not outcasts even in our rebellion and separation.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
—Saul was scheming and looking for ways to manipulate David in hopes of him being killed in battle by the Philistines.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
—Saul wanted to personally kill David when he thought David was sick and defenseless. Killing David whom Michal loved would have made her a grieving widow. It would have been a heartless thing to do to his own daughter.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
—David demanded that they bring back his wife Michal to him.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
—David had basically abandoned Michal so that she remarried and was obviously happy with her new husband Patiel. The fact that Patiel went after her crying as the men took her away showed a deep love for her and would seem to mean he treated her well.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
—“When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.”
Her contempt for David as he was rejoicing and celebrating what God had done revealed she could not even join in celebration of God. It would seem she had been robbed of all joy in life and likely blamed David along with his God for it.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
—My dad loved the Bible and was hungry for good teaching from God’s Word. That led me to value God’s Word as well. But he was not affectionate at all and had some deep insecurities. He didn’t know how to express his love to us kids. It was in later years my siblings and I began to draw him out with hugs and telling him we loved him. In my early years it made it hard for me to understand just how deeply loving my Heavenly Father was. I always felt less then, like I just didn’t measure up. God had to move in my life and speak plainly to me convincing me of his unconditional and perfect love for me.
Seems so common that dads, though they may be good men, have trouble showing affection! I know that isn’t true in many cultures but seems to be in ours.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21? For political reasons. 4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal. Saul didn’t care that his daughter loved David and would be left a grieving widow. 5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16. A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it? He wants his wife back. B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here? Michal was forcibly taken and her husband follows along crying for quite a while until he is told to return home. 6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts? Where she once loved him and risked her life to save him, she now despises him. She’s been jerked around a lot with no regard to her feelings or even seeing her as a person. She was probably happy with her life with Paltiel.
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband. 7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? He never abandoned our family, he provided for us. In what ways was he not? He didn’t show love. I remember one of my 5th grade vocabulary words gave the definition of aloof and I immediately thought, that’s what my dad is. He was often harsh and critical. I was afraid of him. How might this be impacting you? It is impacting me a lot less now that I am an adult and have a greater understanding of my dad, what he experienced as a child and how his way of avoiding being like his dad has caused him to have a more hands off approach to me and my siblings. I have never felt treasured, pretty or special in any way which I think is the greatest impact.
Oh Dawn — that’s a huge impact — and you are definitely all three: pretty, special, and treasured. By God. By me. By a whole lot of people I am sure — and yet how we long for it from our earthly fathers. May this study be a balm.
Dawn, it is so true that as adults, we may get a greater understanding of our parents, and insight into why they were who they were, and what kinds of things shaped them in their formative years, how it impacted their parenting style and ability to express love. I hope that God’s love is showing you how treasured, beautiful, and special you are.
So many things that caused our parents to be a certain, carry over into our lives and our children’s lives. We all need so much healing in our hearts and I am so thankful that we have our Abba Father, who loves us so unconditionally. He sees us as beautiful inside and out. You are treasure and beautiful, dear Dawn.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father loved me and God loves me. My earthly father died early (50), when I was 12. He could not protect me. God protects me always. He prevails. I have always known that God would be my Father. He told me as I stood at my dying dads bedside. Thank You Lord.
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated? She was forced to have sex with an old man who was in love with his wife After she became pregnant because of their scheming she was treated harshly because of her contempt Abraham washed his hands of her
B. How did the Lord encourage her? She was called by name and though told to return to her mistress and submit She was told her offspring would be multiplied She was told the Lord said name son Ishmael because Lord had listened to her affliction Showing he was aware of her situation
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them? Yes I believe saw and cared. Encourage them to seek God Pray with them asking
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine! She may have been widowed abandoned or rejected And now forced to live with a man to have provision who didn’t marry her. An outcast from the women who had fared better
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can. He spoke to her and asked for a drink He drew her back to the issue of who He was a confided yo her He was the Messiah
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here. A reminder that God looks at the heart of people and not outward appearance and I should look to view people with compassion and through eyes of understanding the disappointments and struggles that got them to where they are now
From Judy: A reminder that God looks at the heart of people and not outward appearance and I should look to view people with compassion and through eyes of understanding the disappointments and struggles that got them to where they are now
8. Read John 14:1-9 A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3? He’s comforting and reassuring. B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9? Philip asks him to show us the Father. Jesus replies if you have seen me then you have seen the Father. 10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like. When the woman with the issue of blood touches His garment and is healed. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself or risk being rejected. She was convinced that if she just touched the hem of His garment she would be healed and she was. Jesus wasn’t content with just letting it happen and moving on. He stopped in the middle of everything that was going on to single her out, pay special attention to her and to let her know that HE knew her, her need and He calls her daughter. The Father knows us individually and cares about our particular needs and loves us individually.
Dawn, I see you also chose the episode of the woman with the issue of blood. Which I chose as well. You said in your post before that “I have never felt treasured, pretty or special in any way”. I can see why this story resonated with you and the same reason it did with me was because I felt the same. It took a lot of years before I came to understand and begin to enjoy the love and approval of my Heavenly Father. Thank God for the truth of his Word that has shown and convinced me of Who he is and what he is like. I trust this teaching is encouraging you because Dee is right that you are treasured and loved.
8. Read John 14:1-9 A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
He is concerned. He tells them to trust and to not worry. He wants them to be reassured by His words. B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
He asks to see the Father. Jesus says that he has already seen Him because Jesus represents the Father.
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
—It’s all about home and relationship.
Jesus first gives reassurance by saying don’t worry by having a troubled heart but trust in God and also trust me. Because God’s house has plenty of room for us as his children. Jesus has gone there and is getting everything ready and is coming back for us so we can all be together with Him.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
—“Lord, show us the Father…”
Jesus basically said rhetorically “Have I spent all this time with you and you still don’t see who I am? By now you should understand that anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Why would you ask me that?
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
—As I looked back at into “Gentle and Lowly” to remind myself of some of the comments from the book I found these thoughts by Ortland on John 14:9
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Elsewhere the New Testament calls Christ “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus is the embodiment of who God is. He is the tangible epitomization of God. Jesus Christ is the visible manifestation of the invisible God (2 Cor. 4:4, 6). In him we see heaven’s eternal heart walking around on two legs in time and space. When we see the heart of Christ, then, throughout the four Gospels, we are seeing the very compassion and tenderness of who God himself most deeply is.”
“Gentle and Lowly” is a wonderful read. But is takes time to digest because he often quotes old Puritan writers. But it is rich with truth about the heart of God and our Saviour.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
—One for me would be the account of the woman who had a discharge of blood for 12 years. When in her desperation she fought through a crowd of people to just touch the fringe “wings” of his garment and was instantly healed. Then he stopped the moving of the crowd and sought her out. Her acknowledged her personally. He called her “Daughter” and affirmed her faith in him to heal her. He sent her away healthy and in peace. He brought her out of a life of banishment from people to a life of peace and being whole again.
I spent too much of my past believing the lie I was unacceptable and feeling less than others. This episode from Scripture speaks to the loving kindness and mercy of God’s heart for all. And the reminder He calls me “Daughter”. I love that.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal to David in marriage according to 1 Samuel 18:20-21?
Michal loved David, and when it was told to Saul, he was agreeable to give her to David as his wife, which outwardly seems commendable, but Saul wanted Michal to be like a snare to David, so that the Philistines would be against David. (Was this because he would become Saul’s son-in-law or that he would be distracted by having Michal as his wife?)
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
Saul was going to have David killed, sending his men to kill him. Michal knew of the plan, warned David, and helped him to escape. If Saul knew of Michal’s love for David, then to kill him would have hurt her. He likely expected Michal to cooperate with his plans, to be loyal to her father over David.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
David agrees to make a covenant with Abner, to deliver the kingdom to David, but only if Abner brings Michal to him, to whom he had been betrothed. Michal was taken from her husband, Paltiel, who went so far with her, weeping as he went. Paltiel must have deeply loved Michal and did not want her taken away from him. We are not told what Michal did in response to being taken away from her husband, but perhaps she was very happy with this man who loved her.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand. (v 13-14) What is it?
He sends a demand to Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, saying that he wants his wife Michal back, to whom he was betrothed for the price of killing Philistines.
B. The verb ‘taken’ in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes’ contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. What are your thoughts?
Michal had once loved David and was betrothed to him. I don’t know if it says anywhere what David’s feelings were for her? She loved him enough to help him escape her father, knowing that it would mean their separation. She then married Paltiel. Did she still love David? Did she love both of these men? Was she taken against the will of her husband Paltiel, but was she excited to return to David? Or had she come to love Paltiel and wanted to stay with him? Why did David want her back? Was it because he really loved her and missed her, or was it more of his “right” to this woman who had been promised to him? If David only thought of Michal as his “property”, then he was in the wrong.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
Wow. Michal looks upon David leaping and dancing for joy as the ark of the Lord is brought into the city, and she despised him in her heart. It could be that she has been bitter towards David ever since he had her taken away from Paltiel. Perhaps being married to Paltiel, she had his full love, devotion, and attention. As David’s wife, his affections and love are divided. He is the king, he loves God, and then there’s Michal (and other wives too?) Perhaps she felt a sense of jealousy over David’s display of joy and love for God, as if he loved God more than he loved her. She may have been bitter about losing the happiness she had found with Paltiel. And then here is this great celebration for the Lord, who, Michal may be thinking, allowed her to end up like this. She may have believed that God cared little about her.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
Growing up, I did not believe that my dad loved me because he was never home. He never came to any of my school activities or piano recitals. I thought he didn’t care and I didn’t feel as if I really knew him. I remember writing in my diary that dad doesn’t love me. It wasn’t until I was an adult that my dad shared the reasons why he became a workaholic and stories of his own very broken childhood. He expressed regret for not being home for me when I was a child. We had a close relationship from my being in my twenties until his death when I was in my fifties. I remember him calling me the night before I was to go to the hospital to be induced for labor with my first son. He was crying on the phone, and I asked dad, why are you crying? He said he didn’t like to think of the pain I was going to have to go through and he wished he somehow could go through it for me. Father God also goes through suffering and pain with me. My dad was always there for me when I needed him the most and told me often that he loved me. My dad was not perfect and there were times when he did disappoint me and let me down, or did or said something that hurt my feelings. As an imperfect parent/adult myself, I have learned to see those instances with grace, knowing that I myself have hurt my own children at times. I don’t believe my dad ever did anything intentionally to hurt me.
Love this story from Susan who had doubts about her earthly dad’s love for her:
I remember him calling me the night before I was to go to the hospital to be induced for labor with my first son. He was crying on the phone, and I asked dad, why are you crying? He said he didn’t like to think of the pain I was going to have to go through and he wished he somehow could go through it for me.
Oh, dear Susan, this story of your dad has me in tears. It is wonderful that you and your dad were able to talk about these things, once you were grown. It is never too late to heal a relationship. Knowing our parents’ struggles is so helpful in dealing with our own insecurities. We are all so imperfect as parents in some ways and at some times. How I pray that my children will see me with God’s grace. Thank you for sharing this.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
I think the story of the adulteress is awesome. Jesus faces all the people judging her by drawing a line in the sand and telling them to step over if they are blameless. They are readying to stone her to death! None can honestly step over the line. This tells me that God will be my judge, not man. It tells me He has hope for me too.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father was a wonderful Christian man. He was not perfect, but he was a good husband and father and he was very loving to me always. My daughter and I were just talking about how he used to talk with her friends, when she was a little girl and he would come to visit. He always engaged in sweet ways with our children. I love that they remember that. 8. Read John 14:1-9 A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
Jesus does not want His disciples to have anxiety, but to trust Him when He says He is the Son of God and His promises are true. B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9? Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus responds that “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”, how can you ask that? They see and hear Jesus, but they do not yet understand that He and the Father are One. 9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’sGentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
I love so much about this book, as it shows the character of Jesus. “We cannot fathom the sheer purity, holiness, cleanness, of His mind and heart. The simplicity, the innocence, the loveliness.” Jesus loved so deeply, He moved toward the sinners, not away from them. He desired to give undeserving sinners there humanity back. When we sin, Jesus handles us gently with love. Jesus hates sin, but He loves us. He does not want us just to be forgiven. He wants us for His own, eternally. Our eternal Father! 10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like. I, too, am always drawn to the woman, who was just saying to herself, the thought of faith~of knowing that if she touched the edge of His garment, she could be healed. I also love the story of the unclean leper. Jesus was drawn to those that no one wanted to touch or be near. I have had that feeling at times in my life….yet Jesus is always willing to hold His arms out. When I approach Him. He never turns me away.
What stands out to you from the above? What do you want to remember? Do you disagree with anything?
“ They have not rejected God, but a false image of God.” This sure ties up with this as well: “We will see how heart wounds from earthly fathers impact a person profoundly, and how he or she desperately needs to see how different is our heavenly Father.”
As far as I can remember, I have often denied or excused my heart wounds from my earthly father. This was a hard study for me to do as I really would like to just think of him as a good father with all the best intentions and just did not know how to carry them out. Yet, I have to face the facts truly for me to be able to see how different God is as my Father.
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
I have been listening to the Jehovah Shalom Acapella group from Kampala, Uganda. The rich doctrine of the hymns set beautifully against their deep, resonant male voices speak to my heart when I listen before I go to bed. Their songs, which are mostly hymns, creatively arranged, bring me to tears and to my knees. When I reflect on how I lived my day, I am thankful for His gentleness in dealing with me even when I was “ugly” at one time or another.
Love this, Bing. I love this group so much, too. Jesus Paid It All. All to Him I owe. Their songs, which are mostly hymns, creatively arranged, bring me to tears and to my knees.
Amen to this!! I so needed to read all of this yesterday! Thankful for the gentleness of our Savior.When I reflect on how I lived my day, I am thankful for His gentleness in dealing with me even when I was “ugly” at one time or another.
Monday: What God Has Your Loved One Rejected?
McClung writes: “Aussies themselves will tell you that most Aussies couldn’t care less about God. But I don’t believe that. Aussies have not rejected God — they have rejected false images of Him. The god they reject, I reject also.”
This has caused me to ponder and wish I could have another chance to communicate with those who seem to have rejected God. Once at pickleball when inviting a woman to our Bible study, she told me “I was abused sexually by my priest as a child. It ruined my marriage, my life. I’m really not interested.” I did commiserate and told her God is not like that, but I could have handled it better. I wish I had said, “The god you reject, I reject also!” I also am going to start asking people what they think God is like so we are at least on the same page!
McClung looks at Michal, the daughter of King Saul. He says: “Michal’s life clearly illustrates the pain of a “wounded” or “broken” spirit. Michal was raised in an environment charged with friction and conflict…She was moved between the men in her life like a pawn in a chess game.”
1. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
So she maybe a snare to David and the hands of the Philistines would be against him.
2. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
He sent his men to capture David and when Saul found out that Michal let him escape, he considered it a deception and did not care that David was his own daughter’s husband. She was just a pawn to her Dad’s schemes.
3. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
He wanted Michal back.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
Michal was forcibly taken from her husband, Patiel. I think this is a case of men using their positions to get what they want. I would grieve the fact that I am just being used and not loved.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
Yes, I think it is possible and I have never thought of it myself. And I believe once bitterness takes root, it will grow and bear its fruit in ways we would see life, relationships, particularly with men, and ultimately with God.
4. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father was not the demonstrative type. He himself was a product of a dysfunctional family-a mother who was highly educated and compliant and a father who was passive and did not have any control over his 6 children, particularly the 3 sons. My father provided for us in our growing-up years and was sensitive to our needs. I always have felt protected by him. He died at the early age of 54 and I as the oldest have to help my Mom provide for our family. His death left a void in my heart and made me realize the brevity of the lives of those we depend on and kept my expectations small. This has colored the way I look at the fatherhood of God. Do I dare expect God to do BIG things for me? Or would He even be attentive to the little things that pertain to me?
Tuesday: What is God Like?
Floyd McClung’s five-year-old daughter asked him: “What does God look like, Daddy?”
He said, “He looks like Jesus.”
This reminded me of a question my stylist’s 6-year-old had: “Does God have feet?” She does not know Scripture so asked me. I told her “Yes, because Jesus is God made flesh. His feet were pierced for us.”
I love this anecdote!
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
Jesus knew His time to die is coming soon. Even when faced with His own death, Jesus had the disciples in His mind. If I were dying, I may be tempted to think more of my comfort but Jesus did not. Up to this time, the disciples were still struggling with who Jesus is. He was leaving them and He wanted His words to be of love and gentleness, leaving an example of sacrificial, unconditional love.
A. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
Show us the Father and that will be enough. I am just like Philip. We want God to be someone who we can see, touch, and hear.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
Jesus came to do the will of the Father and He is the exact representation of the Father. “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.” Colossians 1:15 AMP
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
The woman with the issue of blood in the Scripture moves me. Being a nurse and privy to many patients who have suffered, I saw Jesus as being very sensitive to the needs around Him. The very clothing he was wearing when touched by the woman responded to the cry for His help and healing. And He called her, “daughter”.
From a commentary I have read:
Know that you are beloved and known by God. Healing does not always look exactly like what we are hoping for, but sometimes healing looks like acceptance, belonging, and connection. Sometimes healing looks like not letting fear have a hold in your life. Love looks like a touch from a friend or loved one in a moment of shame, hopelessness, or deep pain to draw us out and remind us that we are loved and called children of God.
Reach out and touch the robe of Jesus today and ask for the reminder, the grace, and the knowing that comes from him. Let Christ find you wherever you are and meet you there—at your lowest lows and your highest heights. Remember that you too are the hands of Christ and have the ability to offer healing to those who are suffering. Ask for wisdom and pray for strength and courage this day.
Wednesday: The God Who Sees
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Sarai mistreated Hagar with the consent of Abraham so much so that she fled from her.
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
The angel of the Lord came to Hagar. She was told the very fact that she was pregnant. (God knows our situation). And her son was given a name from God, that is, Ishmael, and a future prophesied for him. Hagar was also encouraged that God is the One who sees her. I was wondering if the angel of the Lord was real or if was He just talking to Hagar. How did she know it was the angel of the Lord? I guess no matter what, this story makes me think that when we are hopeless and helpless, God will show up and bring encouragement to us,
A. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I think for me my mistreatment from family came in the form of words. Not from my immediate family, though. Most were from extended families. I have learned to take these to the Lord and when their words come to mind, I ask Him to remove that from my mind, or for me not to dwell on them. These family members have their sad stories as well. I think somebody said here before, “Hurt people hurt people.” So true.
God had to intervene and remove communication patterns that were so ingrained in me as normal that it affected my marriage early on. I am very grateful to God for helping me and I can now address them in a healthy way when they come up. And they are coming up lesser and lesser these days with God’s help in renewing my mind.
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine!
Ugh. Jesus elevated women when He came but the Bible definitely has a few stories on the mistreatment of women. The Samaritan’s “fifth” husband did not even marry her. She probably thought, “What’s the use? They treat me like a slave no matter what anyway!” Her attitude toward Jesus was of suspicion, skepticism, and sarcasm.
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can.
He initiated the talk. He waited for her to respond.
He told her the truth about herself without being judgmental.
He was patient with her. He refuted her false assumptions gently. He saw the real person behind the façade. He heard her cry for unconditional love.
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here.
I really struggle with being an older brother to those who I think are living their lives apart from God. I am learning that instead of looking at the outward appearance and tangible actions, instead of seeing myself as the “knight in shining armor ‘rescuing them from their errant ways, I should care for and pray for me to see their hearts. And to see each person as created in the image of God and to love them as God would love them so they can see His light and go to Him as their loving Father, not just their Creator.
I was walking my daughter’s dog, Sam, yesterday. Ruth has moved to a predominantly black neighborhood in KC, MO. We are getting to know some of her neighbors. 2 blocks down her place, I saw a few kids playing on the streets. When they saw me coming, they started shouting at each other pointing at Sam. I hastily picked Sam up since he is not comfortable with strangers. The kids gathered around me and wanted to pet Sam. I gently told them to wait until he settles down in my arms. Then they rubbed his head and petted him some more. There were 5 of the kids, all boys. I asked them their names and one of them was nicknamed Jelly Beans! As I head back home, I prayed for those boys to know Jesus-tried to memorize their faces, Byron, Bryson, Bobbie, AJ, and Jelly Beans (lol) aged 4-11. Having had the experience made me think of how special each one of them is to God. And that is how I should look at people.
Friday: Near to the Brokenhearted – Always
Even the best earthly father cannot always be with us and cannot live forever. But we are promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Lately, after reading A Sea Between Us, a true story of a Cuban refugee who faced so many dangers, I’ve been doing what he did through the day, telling my soul: Fear not for I AM with you. My Father loves me and will never leave me.
I’d like you to share a prayer of praise for this and tell us about a song that ministers to you that we might sing or listen to as well.
—Father, In praise of You today I would draw from the words of Sara Groves that this morning and every morning I wake up and find the power and comfort of your hand in mine. I watch amazed the mystery of your perfect ways. Every trial or pain I experience you use for my gain. I have no regrets in serving and trusting your hand on my life.
This is my repeated song coming from the theme of stories I’ve heard since my childhood.
You have always been faithful and you will be again because your loving compassion knows no end.
All I have need of your hand provides. You’ve always been faithful to me.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father.
You are worthy of all praise and adoration. I am so very grateful to You.
This song has ministered to me over and over in recent years. Sara Groves’s “He’s Always Been Faithful To Me “. With its background refrain of the great old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness “ and the words and music of her song it always serves to bless my soul.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
I’ve given away a few copies of this book. Thank you for telling us about it, Dee.
Gentle and Lowly distills the approachability of Jesus. In the very beginning of the book on page 20 he says, “You don’t have to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.” And knowing that He is gentle, beckons us.
Nila, love this quote “You don’t have to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.” And knowing that He is gentle, beckons us.
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13 A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Sarai was told by Abram, to treat Hagar, as she saw appropriate. Sarai was harsh with Hagar and Hagar fled from her. B. How did the Lord encourage her?
The Lord sent an angel. The angel of the Lord found her, told her to return to her mistress and submit to her. Hagar was told that the Lord would bless her and give her many descendants. The angel also told her that she was with child and that she should name the child Ismael, because the Lord had given her affliction. He would be roam the deserts and there would be hostility between Hagar and Sarai and their descendants. C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I think many of us wounded hearts from family members and situations. I have always felt that I need to rely on God to work out hurtful situations. If I have hurt someone, I pray that I will be aware of my sin and ask forgiveness and repent immediately. I know many going through these issues and there are not always clear answers, but God is always there and aware. I am often too quick to try to fix things and I make it worse. I usually feel that I am at fault, in some way. I try to always remember that Jesus was never offended. I pray to have grace to always be approachable and mend differences. It must be God’s way and time and it is often hard to wait.
Friday: Near to the Brokenhearted – Always
Even the best earthly father cannot always be with us and cannot live forever. But we are promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Lately, after reading A Sea Between Us, a true story of a Cuban refugee who faced so many dangers, I’ve been doing what he did through the day, telling my soul: Fear not for I AM with you. My Father loves me and will never leave me.
I’d like you to share a prayer of praise for this and tell us about a song that ministers to you that we might sing or listen to as well.
Lord, your Word has many references that comfort me when I am afraid. I am tempted to be afraid for myself, for my loved ones, for my country, for the world. Ann Graham Lotz is right-we are in a spiritual and moral free fall. And yet, “You have been our dwelling place throughout the generations. Your faithfulness, Your fame, Your promises, Your covenant, Your authority, Your glory continue year after year, decade after decade, century after century, millennium after millennium. You have not changed since the beginning. Your Word is forever settled.” Just as you have been our refuge and our fortress, and are now and will be.
“He hideth my soul” rendition by Jehovah Shalom Acapella group, a group I just found a few months ago. This is the second verse: A wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Lord, He taketh my burden away, He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day. They have several one-hour YouTube performances with one that I saw just for hymns of the cross-you will be blessed!
I have a prayer request. A very good friend of mine, who has been faithful in coming to the Bible Studies that I have led since the pandemic, has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her family is devastated. Though in shock, she has kept a positive attitude and has reached out to our Bible Study group for prayers. She is scheduled to have surgery next week. Thank you so much, ladies. Please pray for me as well as she has been such an encouragement to me through the years. God has given me wonderful peace as I pray for ways to minister to her and to her family.
Oh Father, how we ask for mercy for Deb and her family.
Laura - dancer
May 5, 2023
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13 A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Was Hagar mistreated? She disrespected Sarai after having Abram’s baby. Granted, Sarai shouldn’t have treated her poorly after that, but back then it was “an eye for an eye,” right?
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
He sent an angel to encourage her to go back to Sarai and He would provide many generations of family for her.
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I know of many adult children who have been hijacked by the university system here and told lies about their families. They are brainwashed to believe things that their families don’t believe. Then, they mistreat the family members because they have been lied to. It is terrible. It’s not just our family, but many that I know. Another lie was the one that the “sickness” brought upon us in 2020. I can’t say the word because I get ptsd, as I am a teacher. Families have been attacked there too. It seems that the adult children don’t understand the freedoms we have in America; the freedom to make decisions for ourselves without interference from the government. The 30 something’s went loco! It divided us and still does. It’s unfortunate.
I do believe God loves me. My husband and I got “the c word” and it was just a bad cold. God cared for us. I realize many are not healthy and experience different circumstances, however that’s the reason people should not make a judgement on others. We are all different and experience different things. Humans are all chemistry labs with each one being unique. We can’t put everyone in a box and assume they need the same treatment. Our oldest still won’t speak to us and we have a grandson that we have never seen. It is sad, but similar to some of our friends and their families.
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it. A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine!
She had so many husbands!
I guess He asks her to draw the water for Him because He has nothing with which to draw it.
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can.
He speaks to her.
He offered her “living water.”
He acknowledged her truthfulness.
He says she is just like a Jew in the eyes of God.
He suggests she is blessed because she is willing to worship in true spirit.
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here.
Was he speaking of the Samaritan woman here? I didn’t read about loud jokes or sarcasm about religion, that why I am asking. We are searching for something. All of us. I think I learned about God “leaving a little bit of Him inside each of us,” here….maybe something Tim Keller said once? It has stuck with me. It is our job to recognize it and then embrace it. Once we have that, we should know. But alas! I sometimes forget. When I make Him the focus of all I do I am better. I remind myself to get back on the track and things will fall into place again.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
From Thursday’s lesson these comments by McClung about the Samaritan woman stood out to me because this explains well God’s Fatherly heart towards her, toward me, towards us.
“He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.”
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today?
I would rest in that truth and never ever question my worth to God or his love for me. Despite the lies of our enemy I can live in security of my relationship to God my Father.
13. Even the best fathers are imperfect shadows of our Heavenly Father. Let’s consider some verses that show us that. McClung says our past experiences color how we relate to God. So let’s consider first how well or poorly our “shadow” did, and then God is better. A. How giving as your earthly father? What does Jesus tell his disciples in Matthew 7:11?
My earthly father gave a lot of time to his family, his job(which was very stressful), his church and his friends. He traveled a lot and he had many friends in Asia; years later, I realized how he mentored some of them. I did not realize how much my parents did for others until I was older. My dad became a Christian through a man in his church, when he was a young boy. I don’t remember his parents being a big influence in my life or even involved in a church, although I knew my grandmother was a believer. I do think that I have always seen Jesus as very loving, even in the the worst times of my life, because of much that my parents went through and how they turned to Jesus and depended on Him. B. Did your earthly father discipline you harshly so that you back away from God like a beaten pup? How had God been gentle and forgiving with you?
My parents always talked with us, never disciplined us harshly. They spoke to us of our responsibility, as Christians, to follow God and to behave well. We did not always follow their advice, which in itself brought some huge life lesson. God has been gentle with me, even the many times I have failed Him, over and over from my own selfish ways. His Word is a daily reminder to me, how I need to constantly keep my eyes on Him. I fall on my face too often still. C. Has your mother or father forsaken you? What does Isaiah 49:15 say? And over and over, what does Scripture say about “orphans?”
My parents are both with Jesus. Now, with my brother gone, I am really an orphan. God’s promise is though our parents may not be here to care for us, He will not forget us. How I cling to that promise right now. My husband is not well and my children all live far away. Praising God for His faithfulness. D. Was your father’s love conditional? How is God’s love different? (Think about the Father in the Prodigal Sons.)
My father’s love was unconditional and I felt very blessed. God knows the more prodigal side of me, and I am very grateful that He loves me unconditionally, because I so often do not deserve that love. My mind can stray too quickly. I am often reminded of Tim Keller’s words about sitting in prayer, doing nothing else for 30 minutes. How quickly my mind can wander from my focus on Jesus. E. Was your father affectionate? Read how God expresses His affection in Hosea 11:1-4.
Yes, my father was affectionate and kind. When I was tiny, I was so afraid of thunderstorms. When we would have bad storms and tornadoes in Minnesota, he would hold me in his arms. I was so so terrified, soaking wet from fear and he talk and talk to me and calm my fears. This verse reminds me that I have a Heavenly Father that will do even more, with His bond of perfect love. I wrote a year next to this verse in my Bible. It was the year we moved to Seattle, with 3 small children and no spare money….but He led us here. I need this reminder in this very hard season of life.
Patti, your answer to “E” resonated with me. Though my Dad was not the affectionate one, I remember times when my siblings and I would gather every evening with him and Mom and we listened to our favorite mystery program over the radio. Those were precious memories for me. My maternal grandfather was like a second dad to me-much more loving. He would do things with us, and play with us. School usually gets canceled during storms because of the threat of flooding. So we stayed home and had time with our grandfather. Storms always make me smile because they evoke such fond memories. It will be clapping loud outside and the lightning will have long streaks across the sky and I would lie down and bring up these childhood memories in my mind.
I do love that you marked the passage from Hosea that year. What a great picture of our Father!
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
I have a perfect Father in Heaven who knows and sees me. He is like no one else. He is with me 24/7 and has His ears inclined to me. more than that, He beckons for me to come and enjoy His company.
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today?
I will not be afraid and will go to Him first when I am. And when my days are either mundane or joyful, I will go to Him first as well. I really like the illustration that somebody shared here-to be like a child waking up his grandfather early in the morning so that they could spend the day together. I so hope I can have the same attitude every day with God!
13. What is your take-a-way and why? How great and intimate the Father s love is. Reading the scripture and comments, there is a lot of tenderness and compassion for us
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today? To lift my eyes off this week s problems and trust God to take care of all the details even if there s snarls He will stay by me and will keep me from making things worse.
92 comments
I grow so much from the good minds and passionate hearts that participate here. Last week as we discussed our own legalism and the topic of divorce, our own Susan brought a fresh translation of the Malachi KJV translation of “God hates divorce” from Lisa Terquest. So I took it to Dorian Coover-Cox who is an eminent Hebrew scholar at Dallas Seminary and helped me incredibly wade through the Hebrew of Esther. Seems like Terquest was on pretty solid ground though it is one of those challenging passages — so thought you might all be interested. To me it does fit with our compassionate God who has a good plan for marriage and indeed does hate what divorce does to the family but who also fights for the abused woman:
Malachi 2:16
24 tc The verb a´nDc (sane}) appears to be a third person form, “he hates,” which makes little sense in the context, unless one emends the following word to a third person verb as well. Then one might translate, “he [who] hates [his wife] [and] divorces her…is guilty of violence.” A similar translation is advocated by M. A. Shields, “Syncretism and Divorce in Malachi 2, 10-16, ” ZAW 111 (1999): 81-85. However, it is possible that the first person pronoun yIkOnDa (}anokhi, “I”) has accidentally dropped from the text after yI;k (ki). If one restores the pronoun, the form a´nDc can be taken as a participle and the text translated, “for I hate” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
24 sn Though the statement “I hate divorce” may (and should) be understood as a comprehensive biblical principle, the immediate context suggests that the divorce in view is that of one Jewish person by another in order to undertake subsequent marriages. The injunction here by no means contradicts Ezra’s commands to Jewish men to divorce their heathen wives (Ezra 9-10).
25 tn Heb “him who covers his garment with violence” (similar ASV, NRSV). Here “garment” is a metaphor for appearance and “violence” a metonymy of effect for cause. God views divorce as an act of violence against the victim.
As you can see, it is not a simple matter of contradicting one translation and maintaining that the original language actually says . . . .
When NIV says, “Does violence to the one he should protect,” it is offering an explanation of the imagery of covering a garment with violence (“hamas,” which sounds like the name of the terrorist group for good reason). Such a man is being thoroughly and publicly harmful by what he is doing. The book is describing infidelity/treachery against the Lord, beginning with Israel as a whole, then the priests and the tribe of Levi, then Judah as a whole, and then individuals in their covenant relationships with one another, with divorce as a prime example. Meanwhile, people are complaining and accusing God. He, however, has not changed and has major plans for the future, to say the least. Anyone hearing Malachi should turn from their infidelity of all sorts, and some did (3:16–18).
Am I making sense? I hope what I’ve said helps; if questions remain, fire away.
As ever,
Dorian
Thank you, Dee. So interesting and enlightening.
What a difficult job translators have, Dee! The Hebrew language seems very complicated to me! Thank you for taking the time to research this, and for your friend Dorian’s efforts as well!
Dee, thanks for this information, and thanks to Susan for sharing. I have been out of the loop in helping our daughter settle in her new place. One more day to finish cleaning up her apartment and her move will be complete! I love this topic on the fatherhood of God.
What stands out to you from the above? Those who have experienced the lack of grace in the Catholic Church, but there are Catholics with personal relationship with Christ. What do you want to remember? They have not rejected God, but a false image of God. Do you disagree with anything?
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
He stays with me even though I have questioned this week the genuineness of my connection to God.
Praying you sense His love and His embrace, Judy!
Judy, I have those feelings at times when I have sensed I am not connecting with God. I often have to correct my thoughts and align them with His Word. May you feel Him staying with you. I love having you here.
2. Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
This song by Christa Wells entitled “Velveteen” ~ This song has been like a balm to my soul this past week. Christa is a Christian recording artist who went through a divorce she did not want in recent years. She has five children. This song was born out of this great loss. The title is in reference to the book “The Velveteen Rabbit”. Especially the part with the converstaion between the Rabbit and the Skin Horse:
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.”Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
Some of Christa’s lyrics to this beautiful song:
https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube christa wells Velveteen&oq=youtube christa wells Velveteen&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64.9556j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:55800285,vid:uIEKCKPZLV0
Love spoke my name
And I felt life run through me
Reborn in the flame
Nothing can undo me
Ooh, I believeThat I’m becoming
So if my beauty starts to fade
Well, I’ve been held in a thousand ways
And if my heart looks broken in
Then I’ve been brave enough to live
If perfect turns to perfect mess
And all your love is all that’s left
Then I’m as real as real can be
Call me Velveteen
Thank you for taking the time, Nila, to put these excerpts from the Velveteen Rabbit and from the song, borne of deep unwanted pain. I want to mediate more on the deep meaning here. So good to read your comments as I’ve missed you here for a while.
Thanks so much, Nila — you always bring an artistic beauty here.
Nila, Thank you so so much for sharing the excerpts from The Velveteen Rabbit (my favorite Children’s book) and from Christa’s song. I looked up and listened to Christa’s song on you tube~ it so spoke to my heart. I loved it so much that I listened to the next song, “One Day”. I needed both of those today. I was so touched by her lyrics that I listened to her speak about how she came to write the song~ and how she learned the depth of God’s love through suffering. I loved her comment about when you have been so stripped down in life that the love of God is all that is left and you know that “That is Enough”. Thank you again, I have experienced the Love of God today through you and your sharing His love through this.
Patti,
Yes, Christa’s story is surely one of beauty from the ashes. Glad you found her story behind the song. I have also listened to her in a podcast interview.
I respect her courage.
Nila, I will try to find her podcast interview! Yes, she has great courage.
Thank you, Nila, for sharing about Christa. I checked her website and what a story she has to tell. It really is true, time and time again, I see God turning our ashes into beauty. Only He can do that. “And all your love is all that’s left, Then I’m as real as real can be…”
Share how you have experienced the gentleness of Christ this week. I have admitted here that I have struggled my whole life to believe the love of God for me, not because of Him, but because of me, and believing there is some type of loophole which lawfully prevents His love for me due to my utter sinfulness. It is very likely my lifelong struggle was due to a very painfully conflicted lifelong relationship with my father who was a pastor and a missionary. I have proclaimed His boundless love for sinners time and time again, but my own heart has seemed often barred from His love. But He is teaching me slowly and gently through many difficult circumstances and the veil is beginning to be lifted so that I can see and feel His great love for even me. I just came through a major surgery which did not go well and I was taken back to surgery the next week and still suffer from some complications. In the midst of all of that, a routine mammogram showed abnormalities which did not resolve with repeated imaging. Therefore, I found myself lying hopelessly and quite uncomfortably on a table this past Friday undergoing multiple biopsies. I had been so frightened at the prospect of the biopsies themselves (not frightened at the potential findings) and God graciously gave me a precious set of verses in Daily Light which I have read daily for close to 40 years. “His left hand is under my head, and His right hand does embrace me.” And “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” On that cruel uncomfortable table two days ago, being constantly reminded not to make a single slight move, I flooded my mind with those dear attestations of His great love for me. I was physically quite uncomfortable, yet I reveled in the fact that His own dear nail-scarred hands were tenderly embracing me as He Himself laid there on that table with me. I hope I shall never forget the warmth and comfort and love that overwhelmed my poor heart, and I know it came directly from God Himself to hurting little me. He loves even me!
Dear Miriam,
Thank you for sharing so vulnerably here tonight. Your words touched me in a deep place.
Hugs tonight over the miles.
Oh such perfect verses for your uncomfortable table. So hard. Let us know what you find out — how I pray for His healing, good news, and strength.
Oh, the great great love of our Father!! I love how He came to you when you needed Him so, and in a place where you could have felt so alone. He is ever faithful. He loves you so! Thank you for sharing this, Missy. I pray that you remember that moment of the love, comfort and warmth of our Father’s mighty hand on you, forever. I am praying for you daily.
Missy, yes, He loves YOU. Your last sentence….take out the word “even” and let it say, “He loves me!” I am praying for your healing; to go through two surgeries and complications and then undergoing biopsies – that’s a lot to handle.
Hugs, Missy. I thought of the song by Casting Crown, “Just Be Held” upon reading this: “I reveled in the fact that His own dear nail-scarred hands were tenderly embracing me as He Himself laid there on that table with me.”
Some words to the song:
Lift your hands, lift your eyesIn the storm is where you’ll find MeAnd where you are, I’ll hold your heartI’ll hold your heartCome to Me, find your restIn the arms of the God who won’t let go.
Missy, I missed all of this. I am sorry. I love your thoughts of Him holding you! It’s how I managed through my own radiation treatments almost 10 years ago now. Yes, He loves you. My verse was Isaiah 41:13,
“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.””
Isaiah 41:13 ESV
I always liked to add my name after the word “God” to make it personal.
I am praying for your recovery and any news with the biopsies.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
He says he might have another chance to be killed by the Philistines.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
He didn’t believe her the first time and sent troops back. He didn’t care that David was her husband and she would be left without her man.
What stands out to you from the above? It’s sobering to know that such a great responsibility is placed on the earthly fallen parents, especially the fathers of our world. Their ability to shape a person’s life either positively or negatively. What do you want to remember? To be more forgiving to my earthly parents for their failures. Do you disagree with anything? No
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week. This past week, I have had a lot of times where I’ve noticed that I have hymns and scripture songs running through my mind throughout my work day. It helps to keep my attitude positive and relaxed, regardless of the situation.
That is so sweet, Dawn, that you want to learn to forgive. I do too. And I’m learning to do it the hard but best way as I realize as I age that I also have the capacity to have wounded someone unintentionally. I am learning it is true that God is merciful to the merciful and I so much need His mercy more and more.
I love your pure grace of being more forgiving of our earthly parents. This is such an important life lesson and I always want to practice it. Looking back at raising my own children, there are so many things I wish I had done better and been more mature about. I thank our Father and my parents for the things I did right.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21? Saul wanted David dead. So he was hoping Michal would be a snare so Philistines would kill David.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal. Saul was going to kill David, whom his daughter loved, at their home.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it? That he get his wife Michal back because he d paid a bride price for her of 100 Philistine foreskin
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here? Her husband wept and went with her until Abner told him to go home .
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts? Yes I think it’s possible. It appears Paltiel loved her. So she was taken from her home to be with a man who’d left her, not sought her before, and had chosen other wives. She figured out Saul had used her to try to get David. So you are right she was a pawn in her father s and David s battle. Her view of God could have been she was something to be used, not loved and cherished
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you? He was a good man who worked hard to provide for his family. He didn’t often show affection. I’m not certain. I don’t think I felt rejected by him, but maybe it has an underlying problem of lack of self confidence.
Thank you for your thoughts on Michael, Judy. Her story actually came up in my daily Bible reading today and I read it with greater interest and greater sadness for this most unfortunate woman whom I had never thought twice about before. She really was a victim of her father and her first husband and taken away from the only true love she had in her life. So very sad. And then she also never bore children which must have added greatly to her deeply sad life.
I found this all so interesting for never had been that compassionate to her before — but yes, she was a pawn and a victim.
I often have seen Michal in a not-so-good light. I am reminded once more to refrain from judging others and to be willing to hear their stories. And to be gracious.
Abba, Father (Father Wounds)
Sunday:
What stands out to you from the above? What do you want to remember? Do you disagree with anything?
“We will see how heart wounds from earthly fathers impact a person profoundly, and how he or she desperately needs to see how different is our heavenly Father.”
This comment from the opening paragraph stood out to me saying
that we desperately need to see how different is our Heavenly Father. I feel our view of God is all important to how we function in our Christian walk through life.
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
—Twice last week God brought teaching to me on “Rest”.
On Wednesday evenings our small group uses the Paul David Tripp App by reading and discussing the questions on his devotional called Wednesday’s Word. In last weeks lesson he talked about the fatherly love of God and said “Rest for children is not found in figuring everything out, but in trusting their parents, who have figured it out. …..Loving parents keep many things from their children, precisely because they wouldn’t be able to bear the weight of knowing. “ He went on to say “Rest of heart is always personal. And peace of soul is always relational. …. God answers our desire to know and understand not by giving answers, but by giving us himself.”
I think that those last 4 words say it all (by giving us himself).
Then on Sunday we had a guest preacher who taught from Hebrews 4. He said the theme of the book of Hebrews is “Jesus is better!” He talked about verse 9 which says “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,”. He made the point that verse is specific to (the people of God). Not any other kinds or groups of people but only the people of God. He made 2 points. One that the people of God are looking for rest because it has never been easy to be a follower of God. In following God he takes us to hard places in this life. So we look for and long for rest.
And secondly ever since sin entered the world man has been looking for rest because nothing on this earth can give us what we are longing for. He went on to share the answer is found in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
So it comes back to what Tripp said that God answers our desires by giving us himself. It is in him alone we find our rest.
Bev, Thank you for sharing both of the these lovely teaching brought to you on “Rest”. Such good reminders. and I love this: “Rest of heart is always personal. And peace of soul is always relational. …. God answers our desire to know and understand not by giving answers, but by giving us himself.” I think that those last 4 words say it all (by giving us himself).
Just an update. Last week I wasn’t able to give the time to be on the blog because we had 5 of our grandchildren ages 7 to 17 with us for 7 days. Our son Tyce and his wife had planned a personal retreat to the Colorado mountains a number of months ago to a cabin that is provided to free to Pastors. The timing for getting away was truly of God in light of Tyce’s former pastor and good friend taking his own life the week before. He and Bethany greatly needed some extended private time alone to grieve and find rest in Jesus. God provided it graciously in a way they never knew they’d need it. But my life ramped up considerably cooking, doing laundry and several of us passing around a cold virus. I felt supported in prayer by family and friends in prayer and praise God for giving me strength. Our 9 year old granddaughter with spina bifida has some 24/7 special needs for her care and she had a couple of days of a tummy bug but we survived and managed fine. I truly thank God for a modern day washer and dryer. It wasn’t easy but I knew it was where I was supposed to be and we had some great times interacting and playing games as well.
As I read through the comments so far this week thank you Dee for that info from your friend Dorian at Dallas.
Also to Miriam oh my heart goes out to you in the physical trial you have been through. I have two close friends who have been through those biopsies and they both were clinging to God through each of their experiences. Your testimony of the peace of God’s presence is powerful. Such an incredibly gracious working for you to experience him giving you himself. I pray if it please Him to give you a good report. I ask for his comfort and rest to be yours. You are truly loved by Him and by this group. 💕
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
He wants his wife back.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
Her new husband is weeping. So sad.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
I can definitely see this. How would I feel if I were thrown around like a pawn? She helped to save him and he won’t fight for her? She probably felt the way many of us do when we are struggling in life, like God doesn’t care. Back then, they didn’t have Jesus as we do. They were more legalistic, following the rules or being looked upon with disfavor.
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3? W telling them not to have troubled hearts and that there is plenty of room in His Father s house and Jesus would go and prepare a place for them. He would take them to Himself. Words of encouragement and affirmation that the separation is not permanent and that He’d even prepare a place for them. They were wanted.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9? Philip asked to be shown the Father. Jesus questions how can you ask after being with me this long. If you have seen me you have seen the Father.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that? Book has been recommended to me but I haven’t read it.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like. Mark 10 rich young ruler vs 21 Jesus looking at him, loved him. Jesus saw him and knew the young man couldn’t accept His words. Yet Jesus loved him. Woman with issue of blood Luke 8:48 Jesus called her daughter. The untouchable woman Was called daughter She was included Such tenderness We are tenderly unconditionally loved We are not outcasts even in our rebellion and separation.
Love this thought, Judy: We are tenderly unconditionally loved We are not outcasts even in our rebellion and separation.
Monday: What God Has Your Loved One Rejected?
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
—Saul was scheming and looking for ways to manipulate David in hopes of him being killed in battle by the Philistines.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
—Saul wanted to personally kill David when he thought David was sick and defenseless. Killing David whom Michal loved would have made her a grieving widow. It would have been a heartless thing to do to his own daughter.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
—David demanded that they bring back his wife Michal to him.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
—David had basically abandoned Michal so that she remarried and was obviously happy with her new husband Patiel. The fact that Patiel went after her crying as the men took her away showed a deep love for her and would seem to mean he treated her well.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
—“When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.”
Her contempt for David as he was rejoicing and celebrating what God had done revealed she could not even join in celebration of God. It would seem she had been robbed of all joy in life and likely blamed David along with his God for it.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
—My dad loved the Bible and was hungry for good teaching from God’s Word. That led me to value God’s Word as well. But he was not affectionate at all and had some deep insecurities. He didn’t know how to express his love to us kids. It was in later years my siblings and I began to draw him out with hugs and telling him we loved him. In my early years it made it hard for me to understand just how deeply loving my Heavenly Father was. I always felt less then, like I just didn’t measure up. God had to move in my life and speak plainly to me convincing me of his unconditional and perfect love for me.
Seems so common that dads, though they may be good men, have trouble showing affection! I know that isn’t true in many cultures but seems to be in ours.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21? For political reasons.
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal. Saul didn’t care that his daughter loved David and would be left a grieving widow.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it? He wants his wife back.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here? Michal was forcibly taken and her husband follows along crying for quite a while until he is told to return home.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts? Where she once loved him and risked her life to save him, she now despises him. She’s been jerked around a lot with no regard to her feelings or even seeing her as a person. She was probably happy with her life with Paltiel.
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? He never abandoned our family, he provided for us. In what ways was he not? He didn’t show love. I remember one of my 5th grade vocabulary words gave the definition of aloof and I immediately thought, that’s what my dad is. He was often harsh and critical. I was afraid of him. How might this be impacting you? It is impacting me a lot less now that I am an adult and have a greater understanding of my dad, what he experienced as a child and how his way of avoiding being like his dad has caused him to have a more hands off approach to me and my siblings. I have never felt treasured, pretty or special in any way which I think is the greatest impact.
Oh Dawn — that’s a huge impact — and you are definitely all three: pretty, special, and treasured. By God. By me. By a whole lot of people I am sure — and yet how we long for it from our earthly fathers. May this study be a balm.
Dawn, it is so true that as adults, we may get a greater understanding of our parents, and insight into why they were who they were, and what kinds of things shaped them in their formative years, how it impacted their parenting style and ability to express love. I hope that God’s love is showing you how treasured, beautiful, and special you are.
So many things that caused our parents to be a certain, carry over into our lives and our children’s lives. We all need so much healing in our hearts and I am so thankful that we have our Abba Father, who loves us so unconditionally. He sees us as beautiful inside and out. You are treasure and beautiful, dear Dawn.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father loved me and God loves me. My earthly father died early (50), when I was 12. He could not protect me. God protects me always. He prevails. I have always known that God would be my Father. He told me as I stood at my dying dads bedside. Thank You Lord.
Amen!
Love this, Laura. God truly is our Father. Thank you Lord!
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated? She was forced to have sex with an old man who was in love with his wife After she became pregnant because of their scheming she was treated harshly because of her contempt Abraham washed his hands of her
B. How did the Lord encourage her? She was called by name and though told to return to her mistress and submit She was told her offspring would be multiplied She was told the Lord said name son Ishmael because Lord had listened to her affliction Showing he was aware of her situation
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them? Yes I believe saw and cared. Encourage them to seek God Pray with them asking
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine! She may have been widowed abandoned or rejected And now forced to live with a man to have provision who didn’t marry her. An outcast from the women who had fared better
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can. He spoke to her and asked for a drink He drew her back to the issue of who He was a confided yo her He was the Messiah
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here. A reminder that God looks at the heart of people and not outward appearance and I should look to view people with compassion and through eyes of understanding the disappointments and struggles that got them to where they are now
From Judy: A reminder that God looks at the heart of people and not outward appearance and I should look to view people with compassion and through eyes of understanding the disappointments and struggles that got them to where they are now
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3? He’s comforting and reassuring.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9? Philip asks him to show us the Father. Jesus replies if you have seen me then you have seen the Father.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like. When the woman with the issue of blood touches His garment and is healed. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself or risk being rejected. She was convinced that if she just touched the hem of His garment she would be healed and she was. Jesus wasn’t content with just letting it happen and moving on. He stopped in the middle of everything that was going on to single her out, pay special attention to her and to let her know that HE knew her, her need and He calls her daughter. The Father knows us individually and cares about our particular needs and loves us individually.
Dawn, I see you also chose the episode of the woman with the issue of blood. Which I chose as well. You said in your post before that “I have never felt treasured, pretty or special in any way”. I can see why this story resonated with you and the same reason it did with me was because I felt the same. It took a lot of years before I came to understand and begin to enjoy the love and approval of my Heavenly Father. Thank God for the truth of his Word that has shown and convinced me of Who he is and what he is like. I trust this teaching is encouraging you because Dee is right that you are treasured and loved.
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
He is concerned. He tells them to trust and to not worry. He wants them to be reassured by His words.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
He asks to see the Father. Jesus says that he has already seen Him because Jesus represents the Father.
Tuesday: What is God Like?
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
—It’s all about home and relationship.
Jesus first gives reassurance by saying don’t worry by having a troubled heart but trust in God and also trust me. Because God’s house has plenty of room for us as his children. Jesus has gone there and is getting everything ready and is coming back for us so we can all be together with Him.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
—“Lord, show us the Father…”
Jesus basically said rhetorically “Have I spent all this time with you and you still don’t see who I am? By now you should understand that anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Why would you ask me that?
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
—As I looked back at into “Gentle and Lowly” to remind myself of some of the comments from the book I found these thoughts by Ortland on John 14:9
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Elsewhere the New Testament calls Christ “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus is the embodiment of who God is. He is the tangible epitomization of God. Jesus Christ is the visible manifestation of the invisible God (2 Cor. 4:4, 6). In him we see heaven’s eternal heart walking around on two legs in time and space. When we see the heart of Christ, then, throughout the four Gospels, we are seeing the very compassion and tenderness of who God himself most deeply is.”
“Gentle and Lowly” is a wonderful read. But is takes time to digest because he often quotes old Puritan writers. But it is rich with truth about the heart of God and our Saviour.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
—One for me would be the account of the woman who had a discharge of blood for 12 years. When in her desperation she fought through a crowd of people to just touch the fringe “wings” of his garment and was instantly healed. Then he stopped the moving of the crowd and sought her out. Her acknowledged her personally. He called her “Daughter” and affirmed her faith in him to heal her. He sent her away healthy and in peace. He brought her out of a life of banishment from people to a life of peace and being whole again.
I spent too much of my past believing the lie I was unacceptable and feeling less than others. This episode from Scripture speaks to the loving kindness and mercy of God’s heart for all. And the reminder He calls me “Daughter”. I love that.
From Bev:
He calls me “Daughter”. I love that.
3. Why did Saul want to give Michal to David in marriage according to 1 Samuel 18:20-21?
Michal loved David, and when it was told to Saul, he was agreeable to give her to David as his wife, which outwardly seems commendable, but Saul wanted Michal to be like a snare to David, so that the Philistines would be against David. (Was this because he would become Saul’s son-in-law or that he would be distracted by having Michal as his wife?)
4. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
Saul was going to have David killed, sending his men to kill him. Michal knew of the plan, warned David, and helped him to escape. If Saul knew of Michal’s love for David, then to kill him would have hurt her. He likely expected Michal to cooperate with his plans, to be loyal to her father over David.
5. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
David agrees to make a covenant with Abner, to deliver the kingdom to David, but only if Abner brings Michal to him, to whom he had been betrothed. Michal was taken from her husband, Paltiel, who went so far with her, weeping as he went. Paltiel must have deeply loved Michal and did not want her taken away from him. We are not told what Michal did in response to being taken away from her husband, but perhaps she was very happy with this man who loved her.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand. (v 13-14) What is it?
He sends a demand to Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, saying that he wants his wife Michal back, to whom he was betrothed for the price of killing Philistines.
B. The verb ‘taken’ in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes’ contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. What are your thoughts?
Michal had once loved David and was betrothed to him. I don’t know if it says anywhere what David’s feelings were for her? She loved him enough to help him escape her father, knowing that it would mean their separation. She then married Paltiel. Did she still love David? Did she love both of these men? Was she taken against the will of her husband Paltiel, but was she excited to return to David? Or had she come to love Paltiel and wanted to stay with him? Why did David want her back? Was it because he really loved her and missed her, or was it more of his “right” to this woman who had been promised to him? If David only thought of Michal as his “property”, then he was in the wrong.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
Wow. Michal looks upon David leaping and dancing for joy as the ark of the Lord is brought into the city, and she despised him in her heart. It could be that she has been bitter towards David ever since he had her taken away from Paltiel. Perhaps being married to Paltiel, she had his full love, devotion, and attention. As David’s wife, his affections and love are divided. He is the king, he loves God, and then there’s Michal (and other wives too?) Perhaps she felt a sense of jealousy over David’s display of joy and love for God, as if he loved God more than he loved her. She may have been bitter about losing the happiness she had found with Paltiel. And then here is this great celebration for the Lord, who, Michal may be thinking, allowed her to end up like this. She may have believed that God cared little about her.
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
Growing up, I did not believe that my dad loved me because he was never home. He never came to any of my school activities or piano recitals. I thought he didn’t care and I didn’t feel as if I really knew him. I remember writing in my diary that dad doesn’t love me. It wasn’t until I was an adult that my dad shared the reasons why he became a workaholic and stories of his own very broken childhood. He expressed regret for not being home for me when I was a child. We had a close relationship from my being in my twenties until his death when I was in my fifties. I remember him calling me the night before I was to go to the hospital to be induced for labor with my first son. He was crying on the phone, and I asked dad, why are you crying? He said he didn’t like to think of the pain I was going to have to go through and he wished he somehow could go through it for me. Father God also goes through suffering and pain with me. My dad was always there for me when I needed him the most and told me often that he loved me. My dad was not perfect and there were times when he did disappoint me and let me down, or did or said something that hurt my feelings. As an imperfect parent/adult myself, I have learned to see those instances with grace, knowing that I myself have hurt my own children at times. I don’t believe my dad ever did anything intentionally to hurt me.
Love this story from Susan who had doubts about her earthly dad’s love for her:
I remember him calling me the night before I was to go to the hospital to be induced for labor with my first son. He was crying on the phone, and I asked dad, why are you crying? He said he didn’t like to think of the pain I was going to have to go through and he wished he somehow could go through it for me.
Oh, dear Susan, this story of your dad has me in tears. It is wonderful that you and your dad were able to talk about these things, once you were grown. It is never too late to heal a relationship. Knowing our parents’ struggles is so helpful in dealing with our own insecurities. We are all so imperfect as parents in some ways and at some times. How I pray that my children will see me with God’s grace. Thank you for sharing this.
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
I think the story of the adulteress is awesome. Jesus faces all the people judging her by drawing a line in the sand and telling them to step over if they are blameless. They are readying to stone her to death! None can honestly step over the line. This tells me that God will be my judge, not man. It tells me He has hope for me too.
Amen! Love this, Laura!
7. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father was a wonderful Christian man. He was not perfect, but he was a good husband and father and he was very loving to me always. My daughter and I were just talking about how he used to talk with her friends, when she was a little girl and he would come to visit. He always engaged in sweet ways with our children. I love that they remember that.
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
Jesus does not want His disciples to have anxiety, but to trust Him when He says He is the Son of God and His promises are true.
B. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus responds that “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”, how can you ask that? They see and hear Jesus, but they do not yet understand that He and the Father are One.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’sGentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
I love so much about this book, as it shows the character of Jesus. “We cannot fathom the sheer purity, holiness, cleanness, of His mind and heart. The simplicity, the innocence, the loveliness.” Jesus loved so deeply, He moved toward the sinners, not away from them. He desired to give undeserving sinners there humanity back. When we sin, Jesus handles us gently with love. Jesus hates sin, but He loves us. He does not want us just to be forgiven. He wants us for His own, eternally. Our eternal Father!
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
I, too, am always drawn to the woman, who was just saying to herself, the thought of faith~ of knowing that if she touched the edge of His garment, she could be healed. I also love the story of the unclean leper. Jesus was drawn to those that no one wanted to touch or be near. I have had that feeling at times in my life….yet Jesus is always willing to hold His arms out. When I approach Him. He never turns me away.
Love learning that about your dad. Kind of rare for adults to talk to children that way.
He was such a kind, godly and amazing man. I miss him so.
Sunday:
What stands out to you from the above? What do you want to remember? Do you disagree with anything?
“ They have not rejected God, but a false image of God.” This sure ties up with this as well: “We will see how heart wounds from earthly fathers impact a person profoundly, and how he or she desperately needs to see how different is our heavenly Father.”
As far as I can remember, I have often denied or excused my heart wounds from my earthly father. This was a hard study for me to do as I really would like to just think of him as a good father with all the best intentions and just did not know how to carry them out. Yet, I have to face the facts truly for me to be able to see how different God is as my Father.
Share a way you have experienced the gentleness of God through Scripture, music, or an experience this last week.
I have been listening to the Jehovah Shalom Acapella group from Kampala, Uganda. The rich doctrine of the hymns set beautifully against their deep, resonant male voices speak to my heart when I listen before I go to bed. Their songs, which are mostly hymns, creatively arranged, bring me to tears and to my knees. When I reflect on how I lived my day, I am thankful for His gentleness in dealing with me even when I was “ugly” at one time or another.
Love this, Bing. I love this group so much, too. Jesus Paid It All. All to Him I owe. Their songs, which are mostly hymns, creatively arranged, bring me to tears and to my knees.
Amen to this!! I so needed to read all of this yesterday! Thankful for the gentleness of our Savior.When I reflect on how I lived my day, I am thankful for His gentleness in dealing with me even when I was “ugly” at one time or another.
Thanks for introducing me to them — wonderful!I hadn’t heard of them.
Monday: What God Has Your Loved One Rejected?
McClung writes: “Aussies themselves will tell you that most Aussies couldn’t care less about God. But I don’t believe that. Aussies have not rejected God — they have rejected false images of Him. The god they reject, I reject also.”
This has caused me to ponder and wish I could have another chance to communicate with those who seem to have rejected God. Once at pickleball when inviting a woman to our Bible study, she told me “I was abused sexually by my priest as a child. It ruined my marriage, my life. I’m really not interested.” I did commiserate and told her God is not like that, but I could have handled it better. I wish I had said, “The god you reject, I reject also!” I also am going to start asking people what they think God is like so we are at least on the same page!
McClung looks at Michal, the daughter of King Saul. He says: “Michal’s life clearly illustrates the pain of a “wounded” or “broken” spirit. Michal was raised in an environment charged with friction and conflict…She was moved between the men in her life like a pawn in a chess game.”
1. Why did Saul want to give Michal in marriage to David according to 1 Samuel 18: 20-21?
So she maybe a snare to David and the hands of the Philistines would be against him.
2. Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17 and explain how this revealed not just hatred for David, but a lack of love for his daughter, Michal.
He sent his men to capture David and when Saul found out that Michal let him escape, he considered it a deception and did not care that David was his own daughter’s husband. She was just a pawn to her Dad’s schemes.
3. David has to flee for his life and leaves Michal behind. Michal eventually remarries Paltiel. Read what happens in 2 Samuel 3:13-16.
A. In the midst of bartering for land, David makes another demand (v. 13-14). What is it?
He wanted Michal back.
B. The verb “taken” in verse 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture (as with the virgins in the book of Esther taken from their homes for King Xerxes contest) to mean forcibly taken against their will or the will of their parents, or in this case, husband. How can you see grief here?
Michal was forcibly taken from her husband, Patiel. I think this is a case of men using their positions to get what they want. I would grieve the fact that I am just being used and not loved.
6. Though I had never thought of this before, McClung believes that the way Michal was treated caused bitterness to grow in her heart toward her father, toward David, and toward God. He points to 2 Samuel 6:16. Do you think that is possible? What are your thoughts?
I tend to think he is right, though as we always tell the women in prison, still, they have a choice, despite the sins of their fathers, to do right. Yet it gives me compassion and I think I will probe to see if the reason a person is rejecting God is because they have a false view of Him, thinking He is like their father or their husband.
Yes, I think it is possible and I have never thought of it myself. And I believe once bitterness takes root, it will grow and bear its fruit in ways we would see life, relationships, particularly with men, and ultimately with God.
4. In what ways was your earthly father like your heavenly Father? In what ways was he not? How might this be impacting you?
My earthly father was not the demonstrative type. He himself was a product of a dysfunctional family-a mother who was highly educated and compliant and a father who was passive and did not have any control over his 6 children, particularly the 3 sons. My father provided for us in our growing-up years and was sensitive to our needs. I always have felt protected by him. He died at the early age of 54 and I as the oldest have to help my Mom provide for our family. His death left a void in my heart and made me realize the brevity of the lives of those we depend on and kept my expectations small. This has colored the way I look at the fatherhood of God. Do I dare expect God to do BIG things for me? Or would He even be attentive to the little things that pertain to me?
Tuesday: What is God Like?
Floyd McClung’s five-year-old daughter asked him: “What does God look like, Daddy?”
He said, “He looks like Jesus.”
This reminded me of a question my stylist’s 6-year-old had: “Does God have feet?” She does not know Scripture so asked me. I told her “Yes, because Jesus is God made flesh. His feet were pierced for us.”
I love this anecdote!
8. Read John 14:1-9
A. How can you see love and gentleness in verses 1-3?
Jesus knew His time to die is coming soon. Even when faced with His own death, Jesus had the disciples in His mind. If I were dying, I may be tempted to think more of my comfort but Jesus did not. Up to this time, the disciples were still struggling with who Jesus is. He was leaving them and He wanted His words to be of love and gentleness, leaving an example of sacrificial, unconditional love.
A. What does Philip ask in verse 8 and how does Jesus respond in verse 9?
Show us the Father and that will be enough. I am just like Philip. We want God to be someone who we can see, touch, and hear.
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
Jesus came to do the will of the Father and He is the exact representation of the Father. “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.” Colossians 1:15 AMP
10. Think about an episode in Scripture with Jesus that particularly moves your heart. Share it and why it moves you and what it tells you about what the Father is like.
The woman with the issue of blood in the Scripture moves me. Being a nurse and privy to many patients who have suffered, I saw Jesus as being very sensitive to the needs around Him. The very clothing he was wearing when touched by the woman responded to the cry for His help and healing. And He called her, “daughter”.
From a commentary I have read:
Know that you are beloved and known by God. Healing does not always look exactly like what we are hoping for, but sometimes healing looks like acceptance, belonging, and connection. Sometimes healing looks like not letting fear have a hold in your life. Love looks like a touch from a friend or loved one in a moment of shame, hopelessness, or deep pain to draw us out and remind us that we are loved and called children of God.
Reach out and touch the robe of Jesus today and ask for the reminder, the grace, and the knowing that comes from him. Let Christ find you wherever you are and meet you there—at your lowest lows and your highest heights. Remember that you too are the hands of Christ and have the ability to offer healing to those who are suffering. Ask for wisdom and pray for strength and courage this day.
Wednesday: The God Who Sees
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Sarai mistreated Hagar with the consent of Abraham so much so that she fled from her.
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
The angel of the Lord came to Hagar. She was told the very fact that she was pregnant. (God knows our situation). And her son was given a name from God, that is, Ishmael, and a future prophesied for him. Hagar was also encouraged that God is the One who sees her. I was wondering if the angel of the Lord was real or if was He just talking to Hagar. How did she know it was the angel of the Lord? I guess no matter what, this story makes me think that when we are hopeless and helpless, God will show up and bring encouragement to us,
A. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I think for me my mistreatment from family came in the form of words. Not from my immediate family, though. Most were from extended families. I have learned to take these to the Lord and when their words come to mind, I ask Him to remove that from my mind, or for me not to dwell on them. These family members have their sad stories as well. I think somebody said here before, “Hurt people hurt people.” So true.
God had to intervene and remove communication patterns that were so ingrained in me as normal that it affected my marriage early on. I am very grateful to God for helping me and I can now address them in a healthy way when they come up. And they are coming up lesser and lesser these days with God’s help in renewing my mind.
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine!
Ugh. Jesus elevated women when He came but the Bible definitely has a few stories on the mistreatment of women. The Samaritan’s “fifth” husband did not even marry her. She probably thought, “What’s the use? They treat me like a slave no matter what anyway!” Her attitude toward Jesus was of suspicion, skepticism, and sarcasm.
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can.
He initiated the talk. He waited for her to respond.
He told her the truth about herself without being judgmental.
He was patient with her. He refuted her false assumptions gently. He saw the real person behind the façade. He heard her cry for unconditional love.
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here.
I really struggle with being an older brother to those who I think are living their lives apart from God. I am learning that instead of looking at the outward appearance and tangible actions, instead of seeing myself as the “knight in shining armor ‘rescuing them from their errant ways, I should care for and pray for me to see their hearts. And to see each person as created in the image of God and to love them as God would love them so they can see His light and go to Him as their loving Father, not just their Creator.
I was walking my daughter’s dog, Sam, yesterday. Ruth has moved to a predominantly black neighborhood in KC, MO. We are getting to know some of her neighbors. 2 blocks down her place, I saw a few kids playing on the streets. When they saw me coming, they started shouting at each other pointing at Sam. I hastily picked Sam up since he is not comfortable with strangers. The kids gathered around me and wanted to pet Sam. I gently told them to wait until he settles down in my arms. Then they rubbed his head and petted him some more. There were 5 of the kids, all boys. I asked them their names and one of them was nicknamed Jelly Beans! As I head back home, I prayed for those boys to know Jesus-tried to memorize their faces, Byron, Bryson, Bobbie, AJ, and Jelly Beans (lol) aged 4-11. Having had the experience made me think of how special each one of them is to God. And that is how I should look at people.
Great story about the little boys, including Jelly Beans.
Song I listen to these days is Crowder’s God really loves us.
Love Crowder.
Friday: Near to the Brokenhearted – Always
Even the best earthly father cannot always be with us and cannot live forever. But we are promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Lately, after reading A Sea Between Us, a true story of a Cuban refugee who faced so many dangers, I’ve been doing what he did through the day, telling my soul: Fear not for I AM with you. My Father loves me and will never leave me.
I’d like you to share a prayer of praise for this and tell us about a song that ministers to you that we might sing or listen to as well.
—Father, In praise of You today I would draw from the words of Sara Groves that this morning and every morning I wake up and find the power and comfort of your hand in mine. I watch amazed the mystery of your perfect ways. Every trial or pain I experience you use for my gain. I have no regrets in serving and trusting your hand on my life.
This is my repeated song coming from the theme of stories I’ve heard since my childhood.
You have always been faithful and you will be again because your loving compassion knows no end.
All I have need of your hand provides. You’ve always been faithful to me.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father.
You are worthy of all praise and adoration. I am so very grateful to You.
This song has ministered to me over and over in recent years. Sara Groves’s “He’s Always Been Faithful To Me “. With its background refrain of the great old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness “ and the words and music of her song it always serves to bless my soul.
https://youtu.be/VSsVbJZupkQ
I love this, Bev! I needed it today! Thank you!
9. Challenge Question: For those who read Dane Ortland’s Gentle and Lowly, what did you learn about the character of Jesus, and therefore the Father, from that?
I’ve given away a few copies of this book. Thank you for telling us about it, Dee.
Gentle and Lowly distills the approachability of Jesus. In the very beginning of the book on page 20 he says, “You don’t have to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.” And knowing that He is gentle, beckons us.
Nila, love this quote “You don’t have to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.” And knowing that He is gentle, beckons us.
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Sarai was told by Abram, to treat Hagar, as she saw appropriate. Sarai was harsh with Hagar and Hagar fled from her.
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
The Lord sent an angel. The angel of the Lord found her, told her to return to her mistress and submit to her. Hagar was told that the Lord would bless her and give her many descendants. The angel also told her that she was with child and that she should name the child Ismael, because the Lord had given her affliction. He would be roam the deserts and there would be hostility between Hagar and Sarai and their descendants.
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I think many of us wounded hearts from family members and situations. I have always felt that I need to rely on God to work out hurtful situations. If I have hurt someone, I pray that I will be aware of my sin and ask forgiveness and repent immediately. I know many going through these issues and there are not always clear answers, but God is always there and aware. I am often too quick to try to fix things and I make it worse. I usually feel that I am at fault, in some way. I try to always remember that Jesus was never offended. I pray to have grace to always be approachable and mend differences. It must be God’s way and time and it is often hard to wait.
Friday: Near to the Brokenhearted – Always
Even the best earthly father cannot always be with us and cannot live forever. But we are promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Lately, after reading A Sea Between Us, a true story of a Cuban refugee who faced so many dangers, I’ve been doing what he did through the day, telling my soul: Fear not for I AM with you. My Father loves me and will never leave me.
I’d like you to share a prayer of praise for this and tell us about a song that ministers to you that we might sing or listen to as well.
Lord, your Word has many references that comfort me when I am afraid. I am tempted to be afraid for myself, for my loved ones, for my country, for the world. Ann Graham Lotz is right-we are in a spiritual and moral free fall. And yet, “You have been our dwelling place throughout the generations. Your faithfulness, Your fame, Your promises, Your covenant, Your authority, Your glory continue year after year, decade after decade, century after century, millennium after millennium. You have not changed since the beginning. Your Word is forever settled.” Just as you have been our refuge and our fortress, and are now and will be.
“He hideth my soul” rendition by Jehovah Shalom Acapella group, a group I just found a few months ago. This is the second verse: A wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Lord, He taketh my burden away, He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day. They have several one-hour YouTube performances with one that I saw just for hymns of the cross-you will be blessed!
I have a prayer request. A very good friend of mine, who has been faithful in coming to the Bible Studies that I have led since the pandemic, has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her family is devastated. Though in shock, she has kept a positive attitude and has reached out to our Bible Study group for prayers. She is scheduled to have surgery next week. Thank you so much, ladies. Please pray for me as well as she has been such an encouragement to me through the years. God has given me wonderful peace as I pray for ways to minister to her and to her family.
Prayers as requested. May the Lord comfort, continue to give peace and direct all of you
🙏🙏🙏♥️♥️♥️
So so sorry for this hard news. I have lost several friends to the same cancer. Can you give us a first name. I will pray for her.
Dear Bing, I will pray for your friend. How my heart aches for your friend and her family.
Bev and sisters, my friend’s name is Deb. Thank you for your prayers.
Oh Father, how we ask for mercy for Deb and her family.
11. Read Genesis 16:5-13
A. How was Hagar mistreated?
Was Hagar mistreated? She disrespected Sarai after having Abram’s baby. Granted, Sarai shouldn’t have treated her poorly after that, but back then it was “an eye for an eye,” right?
B. How did the Lord encourage her?
He sent an angel to encourage her to go back to Sarai and He would provide many generations of family for her.
C. Many of you have been mistreated by your family and have wounded hearts. Do you believe God cared for you and saw you? Do you believe he is calling for you to come to Him? Do you know of others like this — how might you pray for them and talk to them?
I know of many adult children who have been hijacked by the university system here and told lies about their families. They are brainwashed to believe things that their families don’t believe. Then, they mistreat the family members because they have been lied to. It is terrible. It’s not just our family, but many that I know. Another lie was the one that the “sickness” brought upon us in 2020. I can’t say the word because I get ptsd, as I am a teacher. Families have been attacked there too. It seems that the adult children don’t understand the freedoms we have in America; the freedom to make decisions for ourselves without interference from the government. The 30 something’s went loco! It divided us and still does. It’s unfortunate.
I do believe God loves me. My husband and I got “the c word” and it was just a bad cold. God cared for us. I realize many are not healthy and experience different circumstances, however that’s the reason people should not make a judgement on others. We are all different and experience different things. Humans are all chemistry labs with each one being unique. We can’t put everyone in a box and assume they need the same treatment. Our oldest still won’t speak to us and we have a grandson that we have never seen. It is sad, but similar to some of our friends and their families.
12. McClung takes the incident of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and sheds a new light on it.
A. Read through John 4:1-26. How might she, like Michal, have been a pawn of men? (We don’t know, but we do know women were, in the culture, treated like slaves.) So imagine!
She had so many husbands!
I guess He asks her to draw the water for Him because He has nothing with which to draw it.
B. How did Jesus treat her differently than the culture? Find everything you can.
He speaks to her.
He offered her “living water.”
He acknowledged her truthfulness.
He says she is just like a Jew in the eyes of God.
He suggests she is blessed because she is willing to worship in true spirit.
It is scary to have a child in the university system today — I wouldn’t do it if I had children that age.
C. McClung writes: “He saw past the outward hardness, the loud jokes, and the sarcasm about religion: He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.” Think about this and how you might apply it to your own heart or to the broken heart of another. Share your answer here.
Was he speaking of the Samaritan woman here? I didn’t read about loud jokes or sarcasm about religion, that why I am asking. We are searching for something. All of us. I think I learned about God “leaving a little bit of Him inside each of us,” here….maybe something Tim Keller said once? It has stuck with me. It is our job to recognize it and then embrace it. Once we have that, we should know. But alas! I sometimes forget. When I make Him the focus of all I do I am better. I remind myself to get back on the track and things will fall into place again.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
From Thursday’s lesson these comments by McClung about the Samaritan woman stood out to me because this explains well God’s Fatherly heart towards her, toward me, towards us.
“He saw her heart; He saw her longing for something to fill her emptiness; He saw her need to feel loved, cared for, and special.”
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today?
I would rest in that truth and never ever question my worth to God or his love for me. Despite the lies of our enemy I can live in security of my relationship to God my Father.
13. Even the best fathers are imperfect shadows of our Heavenly Father. Let’s consider some verses that show us that. McClung says our past experiences color how we relate to God. So let’s consider first how well or poorly our “shadow” did, and then God is better.
A. How giving as your earthly father? What does Jesus tell his disciples in Matthew 7:11?
My earthly father gave a lot of time to his family, his job(which was very stressful), his church and his friends. He traveled a lot and he had many friends in Asia; years later, I realized how he mentored some of them. I did not realize how much my parents did for others until I was older. My dad became a Christian through a man in his church, when he was a young boy. I don’t remember his parents being a big influence in my life or even involved in a church, although I knew my grandmother was a believer. I do think that I have always seen Jesus as very loving, even in the the worst times of my life, because of much that my parents went through and how they turned to Jesus and depended on Him.
B. Did your earthly father discipline you harshly so that you back away from God like a beaten pup? How had God been gentle and forgiving with you?
My parents always talked with us, never disciplined us harshly. They spoke to us of our responsibility, as Christians, to follow God and to behave well. We did not always follow their advice, which in itself brought some huge life lesson. God has been gentle with me, even the many times I have failed Him, over and over from my own selfish ways. His Word is a daily reminder to me, how I need to constantly keep my eyes on Him. I fall on my face too often still.
C. Has your mother or father forsaken you? What does Isaiah 49:15 say? And over and over, what does Scripture say about “orphans?”
My parents are both with Jesus. Now, with my brother gone, I am really an orphan. God’s promise is though our parents may not be here to care for us, He will not forget us. How I cling to that promise right now. My husband is not well and my children all live far away. Praising God for His faithfulness.
D. Was your father’s love conditional? How is God’s love different? (Think about the Father in the Prodigal Sons.)
My father’s love was unconditional and I felt very blessed. God knows the more prodigal side of me, and I am very grateful that He loves me unconditionally, because I so often do not deserve that love. My mind can stray too quickly. I am often reminded of Tim Keller’s words about sitting in prayer, doing nothing else for 30 minutes. How quickly my mind can wander from my focus on Jesus.
E. Was your father affectionate? Read how God expresses His affection in Hosea 11:1-4.
Yes, my father was affectionate and kind. When I was tiny, I was so afraid of thunderstorms. When we would have bad storms and tornadoes in Minnesota, he would hold me in his arms. I was so so terrified, soaking wet from fear and he talk and talk to me and calm my fears. This verse reminds me that I have a Heavenly Father that will do even more, with His bond of perfect love. I wrote a year next to this verse in my Bible. It was the year we moved to Seattle, with 3 small children and no spare money….but He led us here. I need this reminder in this very hard season of life.
Patti, your answer to “E” resonated with me. Though my Dad was not the affectionate one, I remember times when my siblings and I would gather every evening with him and Mom and we listened to our favorite mystery program over the radio. Those were precious memories for me. My maternal grandfather was like a second dad to me-much more loving. He would do things with us, and play with us. School usually gets canceled during storms because of the threat of flooding. So we stayed home and had time with our grandfather. Storms always make me smile because they evoke such fond memories. It will be clapping loud outside and the lightning will have long streaks across the sky and I would lie down and bring up these childhood memories in my mind.
I do love that you marked the passage from Hosea that year. What a great picture of our Father!
Love what I’m learning about your dad, Patti.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
I have a perfect Father in Heaven who knows and sees me. He is like no one else. He is with me 24/7 and has His ears inclined to me. more than that, He beckons for me to come and enjoy His company.
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today?
I will not be afraid and will go to Him first when I am. And when my days are either mundane or joyful, I will go to Him first as well. I really like the illustration that somebody shared here-to be like a child waking up his grandfather early in the morning so that they could spend the day together. I so hope I can have the same attitude every day with God!
13. What is your take-a-way and why? How great and intimate the Father s love is. Reading the scripture and comments, there is a lot of tenderness and compassion for us
14. If you were to really believe these things, how might you live differently today? To lift my eyes off this week s problems and trust God to take care of all the details even if there s snarls He will stay by me and will keep me from making things worse.
Amen, Judy!