Daddy's Love

Daddy's Love I was rised in a home that was filled with so much love. I may not have used of it like I should, but it was there. A lot of what I know about how to love as a man, husband, and father was taught to me by my earthly father. There were some great lessons and of course some that I have had to refine in my own life. As I look back I realize what I learned about love from my dad was that there are many dimensions to love, many characteristics to love. I will admit that my dad did not "tell" me every waking hour that he loved me and you know what I am ok with that! I didn't become a serial killer or have to have therapy for it. What I did learn was that words are cheap. Love is not simply demonstrated because we say I love you. I learn that real love goes beyond that and is sometimes more meaningful without words. Did my dad love me? More than he could explain! How do I know that? Because he showed me. He provided for the family he loved. He spent time with the family he loved. He lead the family he loved. Now, watch this: He disciplined the family he loved. The actions of my dad blasted "I LOVE YOU!" See I didn't need my dad to "say" he loved me, he demonstrated it more. I also learned love is not always a feeling. I did not have to feel like my dad loved me to know that he did. I did not have to even like my dad nor he like me, and still I knew he loved me. You see my dad saturated me with such a deep and authentic love that I never questioned his love for me. Did I take advantage of it? Sure, but it was always there. I learned how to love from my dad, but I learned a greater lesson from him as well. I learned how to be loved by a dad. Let me say that again, "I learned how to be loved by a dad." You see, this is important. I not only learned how to be loved by my earthly father, but what it meant to be love by My Heavenly Father - Abba Father. By how my earthly father loved/s me, it was no stretch to conceive how my Heavenly Father loves me. Was my earthly father prefect? No, but he did represent for me how perfect love should look and how a dad can love a son. I hear people say, "I don't feel like God loves me." I think when we say that we are missing the many characteristics of love. Like my earthly father, my Heavenly Father is continually showing me how much He loves me. He provides for those He loves. He spends time with those He loves. So much He sends His Spirit to be with us 24/7. He leads those He loves. And He disciples those He loves. We don't need to "feel" like Abba Father loves us to know that He does. True love matures past feeling. Do I need to hear that Abba Father loves me? No, because He is demonstrating His love beyond the simplicity of words. I don't feel like God loves me; I know He does!