Christmas Hope for the Grieving Mom | Episode 062 with Ashlee Proffitt
The third title or name that the prophet Isaiah gives to this child who would be born is “everlasting father.”
What does that title help us to understand about who He is?
What does that mean for us today as hurting, broken mamas?
First, what does “everlasting father” tell us about who this Jesus is?
EVERLASTING FATHER
This word everlasting means: continuous existence; eternal; forever
First, let me ask -- does it seem odd that the prophet Isaiah calls Jesus child, son, and father all in the same verse? Does that feel confusing?
As Christians we believe that God is trinitarian - three distinct persons, one God. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Is the prophet Isaiah confusing God the Son (who is Jesus) with God the Father by calling Jesus “eternal father” here?
No.
Isaiah is simply using these titles, these names, to help us better understand the character and nature of this messiah that would come.
So that means we can look to this idea of what it means to be a father, a perfect father, in order to better know and therefore love and trust Jesus.
As our eternal, never-ending, forever father we understand that Jesus always has been and always will be. He has never not been. This means that He will not leave us as all earthly fathers eventually must. And His demonstration of fatherly characteristics means that He will always compassionately care for, provide for, and perfectly protect us His daughters.
A father sacrifices His own needs and desires for his children. A father protects. A father loves. A father grieves when His daughter is broken.
And what does that mean for us today as hurting, broken mamas?
This means that we are not without compassionate protection and provision.
This means that we are loved deeply and intimately.
This means we are known and cared for.
Despite our anger towards Him or doubts toward Him, our frustrations, our hurt, Immanuel, God with us, has never left our side.
He is a perfect Father. And He is broken over our breaking and is tenderly walking alongside. Never leaving us or expecting us to fix this on our own. He will do the fixing and the mending, the restoring and the repairing at just the right time. And in the meantime He has said in John 14:18“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Would the knowledge that Jesus is our Everlasting Father ignite a great love for Him in our hearts and lead us to trust Him — as we remember He is compassionately watching over, caring for, protecting and providing for us.
FREE CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL
To download a simple and free daily devotional that goes along with this episode and continues throughout this series go to www.themorning.com/christmas.