Do you know God? He knows you! Do you realize that He knows your name, He knows your every thought, He sees each tear that falls, and hears you when you call. Do you realize how important it is to be know God, not just about Him, but have a relationship with Him when it comes to being a dad? What better way to learn to be the dads we were created to be than to model how our Heavenly Father loves and knows us.
Knowing God helps us be the dads:
Discovering the depth of God’s knowledge about us is the first step toward becoming the fathers we were created to be. God not only knows our name, but He understands our innermost thoughts, witnesses our every tear, and hears our earnest calls. To truly grasp the essence of fatherhood, it’s imperative to move beyond knowing about God and cultivate a genuine relationship with Him. By modeling our lives after the ultimate example, our Heavenly Father, we embark on a transformative journey of love, compassion, and righteous living.
29For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.
Romans 8:29 AMP
Romans 8:29 unveils God’s divine plan, emphasizing that those He foreknew are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. This predestination is not a predetermined individual destiny but a purposeful shaping and molding process. Fathers are called to align their lives with the character of Christ, making it the cornerstone of their parenting journey.
Consider how to put it into practice:
In embracing our divine purpose, fathers are encouraged to engage in prayerful reflection, seeking God’s guidance and strength. Regular communion with Him facilitates a deeper understanding of the unique plan He has for each father. Simultaneously, practical applications involve modeling Christ-like love by demonstrating compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love in our interactions with our children. By intentionally aligning our actions and words with the teachings of Jesus, we contribute to a community of fathers who share a common pursuit of godly fatherhood.
Walk in relationship with Jesus and become more like Him:
As we strive to be conformed to the image of Jesus, we recognize that our Heavenly Father’s love serves as the ultimate example for our fatherhood journey. Through prayer, intentional modeling of Christ’s love, and fostering fellowship with fellow fathers, we can collectively fulfill the purpose God has predestined for us. Let us embark on this transformative journey, knowing that God not only knows our names but is actively shaping us to reflect the image of His Son in the sacred role of fatherhood.
Today’s Devotional:
This year, I am utilizing the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas, applying its teachings specifically in the context of fatherhood. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to get to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this one for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit: DavidJeremiah.org.
Topic: GOD KNOWS YOU
Verse: Romans 8:29
'For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. '
Today’s Devotional gives us the analogy of parents who are expecting a baby and just found out. It speaks to all the unknowns like “gender, personality, and future” and how they have nine months before the baby arrives. As dads and parents, let’s join with our wives to “resolve to guide our children’s development and shape their future as best we can.”
Today’s Devotional next points to the reality that as parents we don’t know it all nor understand it all. Through the process, we learn and discover things we couldn’t have found on the internet or in a book. It then points to how different that is from our Heavenly Father who knew us in our mother’s womb even before we were born. He even knew us before we were conceived along with “every detail of our lives, the good and the bad along with the spiritual response of our hearts.”
Today’s Devotional wraps by point out the reality that even though He knows, it didn’t stop him from being active in our lives. We read how “it led Him to fix His love on us and to delight in us as His children even before we knew Him.” Let’s be the dads who make the decision to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Even before we decided, God has already decided. So, let’s be the dads who “conform to the image of Jesus and allow our Heavenly Father to shape us to become more and more like Jesus today.”
Before we close, let’s pause and listen to a song:
“You know what you ought to do, then do it, not halfway, but out and out.”
EMMA MOODY
