Father

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and to your Father, and to My God and your God."

John 20:17

The other day I was resting on the couch as my little brother ran off to the bathroom holding his pants. Anyone who knows toddlers knows the urgency of the situation and I hoped he'd make it. A few seconds later I heard him calling out to me in distress. I got up and went to find him sitting on the floor still holding his pants that were now soaked through. Upon seeing me he started to cry and I saw the flash of fear in his eyes over the discipline he believed was coming to him for having wet his pants and the bathroom rug beneath him. 

I could have been upset at the mess, or have simply tattled to my dad what had happened, but in that moment I felt compassion for him. 

I helped him to the potty chair and calmly told him to wait there while I got him some new clothes. He wasn't crying anymore and when I returned he asked me in his broken 3 year old English about "Papa? Mom?" wanting to know if I was going to rat him out. I didn't give an answer either way, but simply helped him change clothes and assured him I'd wash the rug when he asked about it. 

How could the Lord love me? Many people struggle to understand the Lord's love for them. How could He love me when I make so many mistakes? Doesn't He want good or perfect people?

No. He wants children. 

Think about it, God the head of the trinity could have bore any name. The names of God tell of His attributes just as a title tells us of a persons accomplishments.

Commander in Chief: Tells us you're the President or at least have armies of men beneath you.

King: Means you have a royal heritage.

General: You have years of highly regarded military service behind you

Even smaller titles like:

Dr. Tell us you're highly educated.

Mrs. You're married.

God, the Great I AM, the creator of names could have had any name! But do you know what He picked? When Jesus came here and introduced God to us, He used one name:

Father

What does the title Father mean? Simply put, you have children. You can't be a "Father" unless you have children. 

Of all the great and glorious things He could have been heralded for with His name, He chose to be known for His children. 

What does that say of us? Of all the the great and glorious things He is and has done, His prized and most valued of them all is us. You can't argue it, no fault, no failure, no mistake, He chose to be called Father, to make His eternal boast in you.

When I came in to find my little brother crying on the floor in the bathroom, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't deny his fault, he was sitting right in it, and in that moment I saw myself in his eyes. And the love that had come to me in my moment of need washed over me afresh as I reached out to him with the same mercy. 

I don't love my brother because he is good, thus I can love him all the time. I chose to love my brother and I am not ashamed of him, even if he makes mistakes and wets his pants. I still love him and am honored to be known as his sister.

The Father doesn't love you because you are good, thus He can love you all the time. He chose to love you and is not ashamed of you, even when you make mistakes. He chose the name Father, because He is honored to have you as His own. And your Father is what He most desires to be.

Don't hide from Him, cry out to Him, like my little brother cried out to me, and you'll be surprised by His mercy.

That same day I found another pair of shorts and underwear wet telling me my little brother had made the same mistake again with someone else. My extension of mercy and love to him had not instantly cured him of his 3 year old immaturity, just as the Father's mercy and love won't instantly cure me of my 3 year old immaturity. He doesn't expect it to. 

He expects me to be a child, for I am. He expects me to be clumsy and imperfect, as I am. And He expects to take care of me for the rest of my life, because I need him to. He calls Himself Father, because He wants to be one. Will you let Him?