A Father’s Love

By:  Donna Martin

A father’s love is so important to the development of a child.  Just as we strive to love our spouse unconditionally parents also need to give unconditional love to their children.  But how can one learn to give unconditional love to others, especially if a person grew up in a home without parents who taught them how to love unconditionally?

Unconditional love is the love that God has for each and every person He created.  By trusting Jesus, you can know this unconditional love in your own life.  If you have not trusted Jesus, why not do so today.  It would be the best gift that you could give to your family. 

Here is what you need to do to trust Jesus:

First of all we must realize that we are all sinners.  Romans 3:23 says that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  There is a penalty for this sin.  “The wages of sin is death.”  (Romans 6:23).  Because of our sin we are separated from God. 

God made a way to close that separation.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to give His life for our sins.  Romans 5:8 tells us “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Jesus Christ took the penalty for sin that was causing our death, and he placed it upon Himself.  He died for our sins.  But if that was the end of the story there would be no hope.  After three days Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus overcame death so that if we trust Him we can have eternal life.

Because of our sin, we can never be good enough to get into heaven.  Our salvation is a gift of God’s grace.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  In fact no one is sent to hell because of the bad things he did or sent to heaven because of the good things he did.  People will go to hell because they rejected Jesus Christ.  People will go to heaven because they trusted Jesus as their Savior.  This grace of God is undeserved.  Just like sometimes the love we get from our parents in undeserved.

To receive this grace from God all you have to do is trust His Son, Jesus, as your Savior.  You can pray right now.  Ask God to forgive you from your sins, and tell Him that you believe Jesus died for your sins and that you want to trust Jesus as your Savior and live for Him.   Then you can experience His grace and unconditional love for you. 

Follow Him and see the difference it will make in your life and the life of your children.

The Martins are available to present “Happy Together” Marriage Enrichment Events for churches and organizations.  To schedule an event call Michael at 940-735-1515. They are certified “Prepare/Enrich” Facilitators and are available to work with couples on an individual basis using the “Prepare/Enrich Assessment.”  They publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues.  You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriages.com.