It is a rare parent, I think, that has children that love and respect them from beginning to end. There are always those kids that no matter how much we love them, care for them and sacrifice for them, they are still disobedient, rude and selfish.

Being a father myself, I understand this. -- I love my wife and kids much more than my own self. I would die for them without hesitation. However, one of my kids is a PhD. She dislikes me because of my faith and never writes, calls or visits. The few times we do see each other always end up with her screaming and swearing at me because I have made some reference to God.  – But like most parents, that does not make me love her any less. It makes me sad and breaks my heart; but, I would still give my life to save hers and those of the grandchildren she has birthed. – I love them and nothing she does or says can change that! (Millions of you know exactly what I mean.)

So we wait and hope that someday our rebellious, unloving children will change and love us in return.  And in the meantime, we continue to be patient, kind and forgiving. – Sometimes we may say that we have ‘had enough,’ and we may threaten to quit trying. But few of us ever do. – If that child ever did come back and said that they were sorry and asked for our forgiveness, we would give it gladly!

So this should not be difficult to understand: Our Maker is like this too. He loves us and forgives us because his greatest longing is to have a relationship with us. And his affection is not determined by how good and loving we have been.  As long as we have breath, he will wait with an open heart and with open arms to receive us back.  – All he wants to hear is that we appreciate him and love him too.

At least, this describes the God in the Bible He is the perfect father. He is forgiving, patient, generous and kind. And regardless of what we have done, he loves us so much that it doesn’t matter. As long as someday we stop, turn around from running away from him, and say, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” And then seek to spend time with him, your father, because this is what he wants more than anything else.