When it comes to being a good parent, there is no greater example for us to learn from than God the Heavenly Father. How did God love us?
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) 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.
Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we have done that makes Him love us less. Because God loves us unconditionally, we must also communicate to our children from a young age that our love for them is unconditional. During the formative years of their lives, this love needs to be grounded in their lives, because an insecure child will grow up seeking attention because of the rejection received when they were young. They will change their attitudes, behaviour and rebel just to get their parents’ attention. All these actions are a cry from their hearts, “Can you give me some attention?”
Second, we need to separate the wrong that our children have done from the love that we have for them. We need to let them know that if they did something wrong, we still loved them, but because what they did was wrong, we would have to discipline them.
Third, we need to show forth our love for them through our actions and our words. We ought to ask ourselves, “Is there anything more important than your children and family?”, or “Am I willing to turn down a golf buddy’s invitation in order to watch my children perform at a concert?” Just as God the Father affirmed the Son by saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”, parents also need to give words of affirmation to their children, be that positive voice and give their children their ears.
Matthew 3:16-17 (NKJV) When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Lastly, always be ready to forgive and forget, like our Heavenly Father towards us, and be there for them as God is always with us.
Hebrews 8:12 (NKJV) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Sermon Series: The Love of the Father (The Compassionate Father and the Two Lost Sons
爱你的孩子，就像上帝爱我们一样
论到成为一个好父母，没有比天父上帝更好的榜样了。那么，上帝是如何爱我们的呢?
以弗所书2:8-9 (NKJV)你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信，并不是出于自己;这是神所赐的，不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。
罗马书5:8 (NKJV)惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱就在此向我们显明了。
恩典的意思是我们无法做任何事能够使神爱我们多一点，我们以往的任何行为也不会使神爱我们少一点。因为上帝爱我们是无条件的，我们也必须从小就告诉我们的孩子，我们对他们的爱是无条件的。这种爱要在他们生命的形成期就扎根其中，因为一个没有安全感的孩子长大后会因为年幼时受到的拒绝而寻求关注。他们会改变自己的态度、行为甚至行为叛逆，只是为了引起父母的注意。所有这些行为都是发自内心的呼唤，“你能给我一些关注吗?”
第二，我们需要把孩子们做过的错事和我们对他们的爱分开。我们需要让他们知道，如果他们做错了什么，我们仍然爱他们，但因为他们所做的是错的，我们必须管教他们。
第三，我们需要通过我们的行动和言语来表达我们对他们的爱。我们应该问自己，“还有什么比你的孩子和家庭更重要的吗?”，或者“我是否愿意为了观看我孩子音乐会的表演而拒绝一位高尔夫好友的邀请?” 正如父神肯定儿子说:“这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的”，父母也要以肯定的言辞对儿女说话，作那把积极的声音，还要倾听他们的心声。
马太福音3:16-17 (NKJV)耶稣受了洗，随即从水里上来;天忽然给祂开了，祂就看见神的灵，彷佛鸽子降下，落在祂身上。从天上有声音说：“这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的”。
最后，永远准备好宽恕和遗忘，就像我们的天父对我们一样，作他们随时的帮助，正如天父总是与我们同在一样。
希伯来书8:12 我要宽恕他们的不义，不再记念他们的罪愆。
希伯来书4:16 所以我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠，做随时的帮助。
讲章系列: 天父的爱（慈父与两个失丧的儿子）