If a young boy is asked, “What makes a dad good?” he might respond with a couple of characteristics that he likes about his dad, such as, “He plays with me” or “He takes care of me.” Because of the many things that his dad does for him, the child likely does not remember or even realize all of the things that make his dad good. As born-again believers, God is our Dad, our heavenly Father. He takes care of us, and we may not realize everything that He does for our lives. He has many characteristics and abilities that make Him a tremendous Father to us, but how can we learn about them? He tells us about them in His Word. By reading God’s Word, we can learn about His many fatherly characteristics and abilities, and we can greater appreciate His love and care for us.
God has many inherent characteristics. He is love and light; He is faithful and good. Let’s consider what God’s Word shows us about a few of His other inherent characteristics. The first one we’ll consider is that God does not change.
Malachi 3:6:
For I am the Lord, I change not….
All the characteristics of God, our Father, are just as true today as they were when they were originally written in the Bible. As we read about some of these characteristics, we can be assured that what we are reading holds true today because God does not change.
We also know from God’s Word that God is almighty.
Genesis 49:25:
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty [“Almighty God” in the Aramaic], who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
The words “Almighty God” and “God Almighty” in God’s Word are always used in the context of bountifulness to the believer, support to the believer, blessing to the believer, defense for the believer, supply for the believer’s every need. Our Father is Almighty! He is bountiful and able to supply. He is a Father Who supports and takes care of His children. Our Almighty Father is able to and wants to take care of our every need.
What else is God, our Father? God is forgiving.
I John 1:9:
If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Isn’t it comforting to know that our Father is so forgiving? We can be assured that when we confess our sins to God, He will be faithful to forgive them. As children of God, we are going to make mistakes, but we can be confident that our Father is faithful to forgive us.
In addition to having these attributes, our God and Father is also a great giver. He gives peace, grace, eternal life, and wisdom. As a father myself, I can give many things to my children. I endeavor to give them good things that will enrich and benefit their lives. I can provide food for nutritious meals and clothes to keep them warm and many other things. While I may not be able to give my children all that God gives, I can give them God’s Word so they can learn all about their heavenly Father and His ability to give to them! Let’s look at one more scripture showing us what our Father gives us.
II Timothy 1:7:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Our Father gives us the best things for our life. He gives us power, love, and a sound mind. This giving shows His abundant care for us.
As children of God, we are well taken care of. When we read God’s Word, we can see the things that make Him a tremendous Father Who cares for us. He has wonderful characteristics, including being unchanging, almighty, and forgiving. He also shows His great care by giving us power and love and a sound mind. These are but a few of the characteristics and abilities that are listed in His Word. Let’s continue to read His Word to discover everything that makes Him such a wonderful Father!