From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one unified story—a story that begins with God the Creator and ends with a reunion with God the Father. And right in the middle, Malachi 4:6 gives us a glimpse of God’s heart: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.”

It’s a family story. A story of loss and return. And at the heart of it all is a Father figure.

What Does “Father” Mean to You?

That word—Father—can stir up a wide range of emotions. For some, it brings warmth, safety, and love. For others, it evokes wounds: absence, abuse, apathy. But beneath our experience lies a deeper truth. We were made to long for a father in our life – A good father.

The three core roles of a father:

• Presence – To be with you. To never leave.
• Protection – To guard and carry you.
• Provision – To give you what you need.

God, our Heavenly Father, fulfills all three. Scripture says:

• “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6).
• “The Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son” (Deut. 1:31).
• “How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts…” (Matt. 7:11).

But we know the reality: earthly fathers fall short. We fall short. As Colossians 3:21 warns, “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” That discouragement—that ache—is the echo of a deeper longing to be in perfect union with our father.

Why It Hurts So Much

Cable repair guys may not show up when they promise. Another driver my threaten our safety by cutting us off. The local grocery store may not have the provisions we want, but those disappoints are annoying but they don’t impact us as much as the wounds of our father.

Why? Because deep in our souls, we know it’s not supposed to be that way.

Larry Crabb wrote about this in The Silence of Adam. He says we all carry the wound of our fathers. That ache is real. But the ache let’s us know that things are not right.

Unfortunately our default posture is to chase imitations. We seek applause instead of love. Distraction instead of peace. Pleasure instead of joy. But all these are counterfeit versions of the real thing: God’s unbreakable love, protection, and provision.

The Three Blessings We Long For

Crabb also says every child—biological or spiritual—longs to hear three things from their father:

1. “This is how it can be done.” – A model to follow.
2. “You are not alone.” – Presence and commitment.
3. “I believe in you.” – Confidence and affirmation.

Even if our earthly dads missed the mark, Jesus came to introduce us to the perfect Father.

Jesus Came to Introduce Us to His Dad

Jesus’ mission was simple: Come meet my Dad.

John 1:18 says: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God…has made Him known.”

And He gives us the Spirit to cry out, “Abba, Father.” Jesus spoke of God not as a distant deity, but as an intimate Father. And now, through faith in Him, so can we.

Paul says in Galatians 4:6: “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

There are no orphans in Christianity for in Christ, you are adopted into the family of God.

Two Blessings—Which One Do You Long to Hear?

A mentor once asked me: Which of these do you most long to hear from God?

1. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come share in your Master’s joy.” (Matt. 25:21)
2. “You are my beloved child. With you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

Both are blessings from the Father. One affirms your calling and contribution. The other affirms your identity and belovedness.

So…which one does your heart long to hear?

So come meet the Father. Come hear His voice. Come receive His blessing.

Because He’s not just a Father.
He’s a good, good Father.