The Fatherhood of God (2)

What we may expect from God being a father:
(2) Father, a name of comfort. It is the speech of a natural man, 'A little punishment is enough from a father.' 'He knows whereof we are made; he remembers we are but dust' (Psa. 103:14); he knows we are not iron or steel; and therefore, he will deal gently with us when he corrects us. It is as necessary as our daily bread to have gentle correction, to wean us from the world. A little punishment will serve from a gracious father.
(3) Father, a name of provision. That he will in all our necessities provide for us whatever is needful. What says our Saviour Christ to the poor disciples doubting of want? 'It is your Father's good will to give you the kingdom.' What then? 'Fear not, little flock' (Luke 12:32). He who will give you a kingdom, will not he give you daily bread and provision for a journey? Therefore, in the Lord's prayer, before all petitions, as a ground of all, he puts in 'our Father.' Christ took effort to persuade his disciples that they should not want necessaries; and therefore, he made whole sermons to strengthen their faith in this: 'Your heavenly Father knows what you stand in need of' (Matt. 6:8). The Father can interpret any sigh, any groan, and knows what we would have. And therefore, we may fetch provision from him in all conditions.
(4) Father, a name of protection. Therefore, make this use of it. In the temptations of Satan, lie under the wing of our Father. We have a father to go to; make use of his protection, that God would shield us, that he would be a tower, as he is a tower, and ‘the righteous man may fly to him' (Prov. 18:10). Lie under his wings. He is a gracious father, and he has taken this sweet relation on himself for this purpose, that we may have comfort in all conditions. You see then what we may expect from God, by this sweet relation he has taken on him in Christ, to be our Father.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Heavenly Conference, pp. 84-86
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