Jehovah’s Loving Fatherly Heart

[Hubi]

Dear brothers, dear sisters, dear friends,

May I begin by asking you a very personal question?

When was the last time you truly felt loved?

Not because you accomplished something remarkable.

Not because you were especially successful.

But simply because you were you.

Deep down, isn't that what every human heart longs for?

Perhaps some of us grew up with a loving father.

Others may not have.

Some remember warm hugs.

Others remember constant criticism.

Some often heard,

"I'm proud of you."

Others heard,

"You should have done better."

Those experiences shape the way we see ourselves.

And sometimes, without realizing it, they even shape the way we imagine Jehovah.

We may think:

"Jehovah must be disappointed with me."

"I don't do enough."

"I keep making the same mistakes."

"One day he'll lose patience with me."

But today Jehovah wants each of us to hear something very different.

He says:

"That is not how I see you."

---

Jehovah Sees Beyond Our Imperfections

Picture a little boy.

He has spent the afternoon playing outside.

He jumps into puddles.

He climbs trees.

He trips and falls.

By the time he gets home, he's covered in mud from head to toe.

His clothes are filthy.

His hands are dirty.

Even his face is covered with mud.

A mother might smile and say,

"Stay outside until we clean you up!"

But imagine what his father does.

He laughs.

He scoops his little boy into his arms.

The mud gets all over his own shirt.

But he couldn't care less.

He carries him over to the garden hose.

Gently, patiently, lovingly, he washes him clean.

Notice what he doesn't say.

He doesn't say,

"You're too dirty. Stay away from me."

No.

He removes the dirt.

But he never removes his love.

---

Isn't that exactly how Jehovah describes himself?

Let's read Psalm 103:13, 14.

"As a father shows mercy to his children, Jehovah has shown mercy to those who fear him. For he well knows how we are formed, remembering that we are dust."

How comforting those words are!

Jehovah sees our mistakes.

He sees our weaknesses.

He knows every struggle.

But above all, he sees our heart.

He knows how difficult life can be.

He knows every temptation.

Every disappointment.

Every sleepless night.

Never does he say,

"I've had enough of you."

Instead, he lovingly says,

"Come to me."

---

Jehovah Comes Looking for Us

Now picture another scene.

A father is shopping with his little son in a busy shopping mall.

For just a moment, he looks away.

When he turns back...

his son is gone.

Instantly his heart begins to race.

He calls his son's name.

He searches every aisle.

He asks everyone he meets,

"Have you seen my little boy?"

One thought fills his mind:

"Where is my child?"

Then, finally...

he sees him.

The little boy is standing alone, frightened and close to tears.

What does the father do?

Does he stand there with folded arms?

Does he lecture him?

Of course not.

He runs.

He kneels down.

He wraps his son tightly in his arms.

Perhaps tears fill his own eyes.

Not because he's angry.

But because he's overwhelmed with relief.

---

Isn't that the picture Jesus painted in Luke 15:4-6?

The shepherd goes looking for the lost sheep.

And when he finds it...

he doesn't drive it back.

He doesn't scold it.

He joyfully places it on his shoulders and carries it home.

What a beautiful detail!

The sheep doesn't have to find the strength.

The shepherd provides the strength.

---

Maybe someone listening today feels like that sheep.

Exhausted.

Discouraged.

Overwhelmed.

Perhaps you've quietly thought,

"I just can't keep going."

Jehovah gently answers,

"Then let me carry you."

What a wonderful Father we have.

---

Jehovah Knows Every Tear

Sometimes we feel that no one really understands what we're going through.

Perhaps we smile at the Kingdom Hall.

We greet our brothers and sisters warmly.

But inside...

our heart is hurting.

Maybe because of illness.

Loneliness.

Grief.

Anxiety.

Or feelings of guilt.

Then we read one of the most tender verses in God's Word.

Psalm 56:8

"Collect my tears in your skin bottle."

What an extraordinary picture.

Jehovah notices every tear.

Not one goes unnoticed.

People may forget.

People may overlook us.

People may eventually stop listening.

Jehovah never does.

Every tear matters to him.

As though each one were a priceless treasure.

Why?

Because you are priceless to him.

---

Jehovah Understands Our Feelings

Many people grew up hearing,

"Be strong."

"Don't cry."

"Pull yourself together."

But is that how Jehovah feels?

Think about Jesus.

Standing before the tomb of Lazarus.

There we read those beautiful words:

John 11:35

"Jesus gave way to tears."

The Son of God cried.

Why?

Because love always feels.

Love always cares.

Love always shares another person's pain.

And Jesus said,

"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

That tells us something precious.

Jehovah is not distant.

He is not cold.

He is not without emotion.

He understands our heart.

In fact...

he understands us even better than we understand ourselves.

---

Engraved on the Palms of His Hands

Finally, let's read one of the most touching promises found anywhere in the Bible.

Isaiah 49:15, 16

"Even if these women forget, I would never forget you. Look! I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."

In Isaiah's day there were no cameras.

No smartphones.

No photo albums.

So when Jehovah says,

"I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,"

he is saying something extraordinary.

"You are constantly before me."

Not for one single day.

Not for one single moment.

Will he ever forget you.

---

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters,

Perhaps when we leave today, we'll once again notice our imperfections.

We'll remember our mistakes.

We'll wish we had done better.

If that happens...

remember that little boy.

His father loved him before the mud was washed away.

And that's exactly how Jehovah loves us.

Not only when we finally become perfect.

But today.

Right now.

That is why he searches for us.

That is why he carries us.

That is why he collects every tear.

That is why he will never forget us.

And that is why we can say with complete confidence:

There is no Father anywhere who loves more deeply than Jehovah.

If that truth settles deep into our heart...

we'll walk into tomorrow a little braver.

A little calmer.

A little happier.

Because we know something the world desperately needs to know.

We are loved.

We have always been loved.

And Jehovah will love us forever.

[Doug]

4 hours ago, Hubi said:

 

And that is why we can say with complete confidence:

There is no Father anywhere who loves more deeply than Jehovah.

If that truth settles deep into our heart... we'll walk into tomorrow a little braver.

A little calmer.  A little happier.

Because we know We are loved. We have always been loved. And Jehovah will love us forever.

 

Beautiful, Hubert !    May we see one another as Jehovah does.