My 10 Favorite Attributes of God as Father
I first met God as Father at sixteen. Since that day, the Lord Almighty is my Abba Father.
And the Bible confirms this happens when we accept Christ as Savior, God’s gift of salvation.
“…God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba Father!’” Galatians 4:6b (NIV)
This meant everything to me then and now. Because my earthly-father story includes chapters of abandonment, a longing to know my biological father, dreams to be loved by a father, and a redemptive ending that still amazes me.
You see, every Father’s Day I celebrate three fathers.
First, during my dad’s absence, a wonderful stepfather came into my life as a young girl. Wendell loved and cared for me like his own flesh and blood. Since fatherhood runs much deeper than bloodline, he’s an amazing dad.
Next, my biological father came back into my life in elementary school. And we slowly rebuilt a father-child relationship again. But he was an atheist. So as soon as I became a child of God, I started praying for my dad. Sixteen years and over 5000 prayers later, my biological father became a child of the heavenly Father, too.
Dad passed away in 2010. And I’m always a little tear-filled this time of year. I really miss him.
Yet, as we honor fathers this month, I also want to celebrate God as my Father.
Regardless of our earthly-father experience, God as Father, rises above any father definitions we write into our stories. He is Abba Father. Here are 10 of my favorite fatherly attributes of God.
Regardless of our earthly-father experience, God as Father, rises above any father definitions we write into our stories. He is Abba Father. #FathersDay Share on XGod as Father Loves
(1) He adopted me.
“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)
(2) He loves me.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1a (ESV)
God the Father Forgives
(3) He forgives me.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 (ESV)
God as Father forgives me. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 (ESV) Share on X
(4) He fills me when I’m empty.
He fills us with: joy and peace (Romans 15:13), His fullness as God (Ephesians 3:19), the knowledge of His will (Colossians 1:9), the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), Jesus as the bread of life and living waters (John 6:35; 4:14).
(5) He stays near.
“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” Deuteronomy 4:7 (ESV)
Abba Father Provides
(6) He provides.
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 (ESV)
(7) He keeps His promises.
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9 (ESV)
Speaking of Abraham, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21 (ESV)
(8) He fulfills His purpose for me.
“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2 (ESV)
God as Faithful Father
(9) He always has my best interest in mind.
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.” Psalm 139:16-19 (ESV)
(10) He’s faithful.
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)
God's a faithful Father who always keeps His promises, has my best interest in mind, and fulfills His purpose in my life. Share on XFather Story
Read more of my father-story, A Father Who Never Leaves.
What are your favorite attributes of God as Father? Do you have an Abba Father story? I pray you know God as Father.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Tell His Story/Recharge Wednesday/Let’s Have Coffee/Tune in Thursday/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected/Candidly Christian and Faith On Fire.
© 2021 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Sweet reminders, especially for some who don’t have positive relationships with their earthly father.
Thank you, Ava. God is faithful, by whom Ava was called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ her Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)
This was especially meaningful to me, Karen, as my own father passed away in 2014. Since then, Father’s Day hasn’t been easy, but your words about our heavenly Father are so comforting.
Blessings!
Martha, we continue to remember and not forget our fathers on Father’s Day or any day. We rejoice we will see them again one day.
Karen, I love how many of the different facets of God as Father you’ve reminded me of! I’ve been blessed to have a good and loving earthly father. I think He paved the way to an acceptance of God the Father’s love for me when I was young.
Jeanne, I’ve heard others say the same about an earthly father helping them see God the Father as a loving and accepting God. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1a (ESV)
While my adopted dad will always be the greatest man I’ll ever meet (until Jesus of course), our Abba Father fills even more needs and voids in our lives. It was my dad who helped introduce me to his Abba Father, who became mine. A legacy of love.
A powerful legacy of love, J.D. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s a picture of redemption and rescue! God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)
Having God as our Father is one of the great blessings of life, for he is never capricious, never angry in ways that harm us, never preoccupied, never seeking his own good rather than ours, never neglectful, and never cruel. He excels all of the fathers on earth. Regardless of who we have for a father, God outshines them all. Thank you for compiling this list of qualities of God the Father.
So true, Melinda! Enjoyed your words about Abba Father. “…God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba Father!’” Galatians 4:6b (NIV)
I love these attributes of God as my father, too. I also love that He will never get unreasonably angry, He corrects in love, He understands me, He’s patient with me.
Barbara, those are all great attributes of God as Father. Thanks for sharing!
I too love the fatherly attributes of God. I will miss my dad and my father-in-law this year on Father’s Day. Thanks for the wonderful reminder Karen
I’m sure you will miss them, Yvonne. We will celebrate our fathers in heaven as we celebrate our heavenly Father.
I am thankful for the Father.
So thankful God’s a faithful Father who always keeps His promises, has my best interest in mind, and fulfills His purpose in my life.
Such a powerful testimony of our Heavenly Father! I’m especially thankful for His faithfulness in all things, big and small.
Me too, Cathy. He is faithful! God bless!
“The Lord Almighty is my Abba Father.” Thank you for sharing this beautiful testimony of your three fathers. And thank you for sharing these wonderful attributes of God our Father.
Hey Lisa, I know you can make the same statement. And what a wonderful Abba Father He is! God bless!
Karen, I love how you always point us to the truth of Scripture and to our Heavenly Father.
Blessings!
Thank you, Beckie. Don’t know where I’d be without Scripture or my heavenly Father. Still praying fervantly over you.
Beautifully written, dear Karen, as always. I love these reminders of what a great Father God we have. We can rest in His secure, loving arms. Blessings, sweet friend! Happy Father’s Day!
Hey Karen, appreciate your sweet and kind words. Love how you said, “We can rest in His secure, loving arms.” Yes, His arms are always open-wide for us! God bless!
Such a beautiful piece. I had a really rocky relationship with my biological dad, but he became a true Christian, I got to witness his baptism, and he has since passed away. I know I’ll see him again in heaven! I’m blessed top have a stepdad and a wonderful father-in-law, too, and many men who have been father figures to me throughout my life. I’m thankful for these human men, and I’m SO grateful for my father, God, who shows us all how to love. Thanks, Karen!
Jessica, I’ve read some of what you’ve said about your dad. Not sure it was comments on my father-related posts or over on your own blog. But we are blessed to get to celebrate both earthly fathers and a faithful and wonderful heavenly Father.
Happy Father’s Day and more Blessings!!
( https://kristiann1.com/2015/06/21/hfd/ ) Updated!!
( Matthew 6:9-13 KJV ) “After this manner therefore Pray ye: Our FATHER which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this Day our Daily Bread. And Forgive us our debts, as we Forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but Deliver us from evil: For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, For Ever. Amen-Amein.”!!
May OUR ONE TRUE GOD the HEAVENLY FATHER BLESS ALL my Devout Sisters and Brothers in Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua and my Devout Messianic Jewish Sisters and Brothers in Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua and my Devout Jewish Sisters and Brothers in ( HaShem-YAHWEH-YHWH-JEHOVAH ) and your Families and Friends who STAND with the HOLY LAND of Israel-Yisrael / and Our Judeo-Christian NATION USA and Our Christian Earth who are Pro-LIFE!!
I am Pro-LIFE / Pro-Israel-Yisrael / Pro-United States of America / Pro-United States of America Constitution and Bill of Rights / Pro-Declaration of Independence!! Pro-TEN COMMANDMENTS and Pro-GOD’S WORD-HOLY BIBLE!! Hallelujah and Amen!!
Our ONE TRUE GOD THE HEAVENLY FATHER and HIS SON Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua are FAITHFUL too those who LOVE ❤ HIM and TRUST HIM!!
I Love you all Everyone through Jesus-Yeshua Christ, because HE LOVED EVERYONE FIRST!! 💕 Praise Jesus-Yeshua Christ for Today and Everyday!!
“Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only GOD keeps You Going.”!! Amen-Amein Praise Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua Hallelujah!!
Love ❤ Always and Shalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
Thanks so much Kristi Ann. Thankful for God as Father who adopts us, loves us, forgives us, fills us, provides, keeps His promises, fulfills our purpose and remains faithful! Hallelujah!
We tend to look at God the way we look at our earthly fathers. Our heavenly Father heals wounds our earthly fathers cannot. He is indeed a good, good father.
How sad when we do, Nancy. Because our heavenly Father is incomparable.
What a blessing to grow in our understanding of God as Father and not merely Creator and Judge! Thanks for sharing these important thoughts and reminders!
Agree, Donna. It’s so comforting to take time to look at God as our heavenly Father and all that comes with it.
Karen, such beautiful attributes listed for our Heavenly Father. He has a perfect plan for each one of us, and while we may not always like His answers, He never fails us. Thanks for sharing.
Lisa, the fact that God, the Father, never fails is another wonderful attribute about Him. It pairs directly with His wisdom over our lives!
I love pondering God’s attributes, so really appreciate your post. I listened to a podcast yesterday that gave 5 little known attributes: simplicity, wrath, infinity, independence, and anthropomorphic. So interesting!
That podcast does sound interesting, Michele. I’ll have to research those attributes of God more.
Everything our good, good Father is? My earth father was not. But I survived!
Susan, glad you survived so you could meet our heavenly Father, full of grace and mercy and love!
oh this so ministered to my soul! I love the truth of God as Father that combats the lies of the failures of our early fathers. Thank you for the beautiful reminder.
Thankful this spoke to you, Mariel. So grateful our heavenly Father chose, love, and adopted us into His family.
Karen, thank you for this wonderful reminder of our Father God’s loving traits. It is so important to honor our earthly fathers and father figures, but at the same time separate that from our Heavenly Father who is perfect in all His ways.
Melissa, so thankful that regardless of our earthly father-child experience, our heavenly Father surpasses and outshines it all!