Dear Satan: You’re No Match for My Paternal God!

Excited about today’s assignment, I reached across my desk and grabbed the closest book, The J.I. Packer Classic Collection, and flipped to Page 29. Almost immediately, the word Paternal leaped off the page and kidnapped my thoughts. The following letter is the result:

Dear Satan:

You really think you’re clever, don’t you? Surrounding us with entertaining distractions, giving us gadgets and endless to-do lists which consume our attention, and working hard to convince us that the perfect relationship we crave is nothing but an illusion found at the movies, or even worse, that relationships in general are more trouble than they’re worth? I have to give you props for creativity, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’m afraid you’ve actually managed to convince quite a few of my friends of one big, fat, terrible lie: that they’re all alone.

But your little tricks aren’t going to work on me – not today, not ever! Because you see, I’ve been reminded of one of Scriptures greatest promises… that the God who created the universe (I’m sure you remember Him – the one you tried to bow up against, before He tossed you out on your caboose) is also a Paternal God.

I hear you chortling over there, but this promise blows your deceitful little lies out of the water! Here’s why:

• Though you’ve convinced too many earthly fathers that they don’t have to love their kids the way a father should, I have a Father who loves me more than I can imagine (Ephesians 3:17-19)

• After the way you’ve shaken their confidence, earthly fathers don’t always know what’s going on with us or how to help us, but I have a Father who knows all my secrets and knows what I need even before I ask (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18; 6:8; 7:11)

• Earthly fathers break their promises (and their children’s hearts) all the time, but I have a Father who has never broken a single word of one of His promises (Isaiah 46:11; Joshua 23:14; Romans 4:20-22)

• As much as we wish they did, earthly fathers don’t have all the answers (a startling fact you use to terrify us during young adulthood), but not to worry! I have a Father who is perfect in wisdom, who I can count on to respond to my prayers in a way that is best for His total purposes and best for me (James 1:5; I John 5:14-15; Isaiah 65:24)

No wonder my wife loves gazing up into the branches of tall, mighty tree. She says it reminds her that she has a Loving Father who is always waiting to hold her in His strong, capable arms. It reminds her that God is Paternal – and that’s an awesome thing to think about.

Well, you might as well run along and pick on somebody else today. I don’t have time to worry about you and your antics – I’m too busy spending time with my Dad!

Toodles,

John M.

 

“You, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.”

Isaiah 63:16

 

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Writing 101 Day 14 Challenge:   Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What’s the first word that jumps off the page? Use this word as your springboard for inspiration. If you need a boost, Google the word and see what images appear, and then go from there. 

Today’s twist: write the post in the form of a letter.

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