Devotion 2: Never Leave Nor Forsake

Pastor Philip Piasecki

Being a father has drastically changed my approach to life. After my daughter was born, my main priority became being the best father I could be. Every action and decision that I made started being run through the filter of being a father. I have always been a huge thrill seeker; however, I am now much less likely to do something that could put my life in danger now that I am a dad. I always want to be there for my kids, and it breaks my heart to see those whose fathers have abandoned them. The lack of good fathers is truly an epidemic in our culture today. There are so many kids that just want to know they have a dad who loves them, and they have been deprived of that opportunity so far in their life. However, Christmas can be an incredible reminder of the Everlasting Father that we have through the person of Jesus Christ.

When Scripture calls Jesus “Everlasting Father,” do not be confused, it is not mistaking Him for God the Father. However, Jesus is the perfect representation of God the Father’s attributes. Through Jesus, we see fatherly love. In Scripture, we see Jesus love His friends, His disciples, and strangers, and ultimately lay His life down for all of those people. A father never abandons his children. Still to this day, if I need help with something, I know that I can call my dad and he will be there right away. In Hebrews, we see the fatherly character of Christ.

Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

This Scripture serves as an important reminder that true contentment comes from knowing that the Lord is with us, and will never leave us. It does not matter what worldly possessions we have or how life is treating us, we can celebrate knowing that the Lord is with us. Jesus Christ, the Everlasting Father, will never leave us or forsake us. He does not bail when life gets rough, and He does not give up on us when we fail Him. He cares for us, He watches over us, He encourages us, He disciplines us, and He treats us like a father treats his children. If you do not have a loving earthly father, know that God is your Heavenly Father whose perfect attributes were put on display for the world to see through His son Jesus Christ. If you are a dad reading this, I challenge you to have your actions towards your children reflect those of our perfect Heavenly Father. Even when it may feel like we are alone, take hope in knowing that God and Jesus Christ are always there for us.