“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)
There are more than a few members of our church who have recently experienced loss with the death of loved ones. These are sad moments. Death will rob us of the ones we love. People come and go in our lives. The people there at the beginning of our lives are different from the people there at the end. Along the way, we lose parents, spouses, friends, and sometimes children.
But there is one constant. It is Jesus. Before he ascended to heaven, he said: “I am with you always” (see Matthew 28:20). He is present with us through the Holy Spirit. Death cannot rob us of him because he has conquered death. He is our one everlasting companion.
Isaiah prophecies the child born would be “Everlasting Father.” It seems strange to call a child father, but it is through Jesus that we know God the Father. Jesus says:
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14:18–20, ESV)
In that verse, he explains that he will never abandon us and that we have the Father through him. Jesus and the Father are one. When we’ve got Jesus, we’ve got the Father.
If you were baptized, your baptism was your adoption into God’s family. From that moment forward there was nothing that could take away his fatherhood. There is nothing you can do that is going to make him stop loving you. You can certainly wander away, but that is not going to stop God from pursuing you as his child. You can never wander so far away that God is no longer going to welcome you back into his home. That is the promise God makes at your baptism.
The great thing about baptism is that no one can take it away from you. I could ask if you “feel” close to God. You might say yes or no. Emotions come and go. But while your emotions are uncertain, your baptism is certain. It is that constant reminder that you are God’s child no matter what. If you ever think that God has abandoned you, look no further than your baptism.
An important aspect of a father is that he provides for his family. Jesus feeds us and provides for us. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive his body and blood through the bread and wine. There is a reason Jesus instructs us to do this often. That meal is always waiting for us.
In the Bible, we are told that Jesus loves us, but in the Lord’s Supper, he takes it a step farther. We not only hear “I love you,” but we touch and taste “I love you.” It is one thing for someone to tell us they love us, it is another thing for someone to show us they love us. The body and blood we receive in this meal show us the extent of God’s love. He loves us so much he is willing to die for us. The Everlasting Father gives everything for his family. There is nothing more he could give.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you know you are part of God’s family?
- What does it mean that Jesus is your Everlasting Father?
- How do you overcome doubt about God’s love?
- Share your comments.
Marliss Laughridge says
A message of joy and comfort to remind us of the eternal blessings of the sacraments.