All In Devotional by Stacy Davis: God is the Father of All

Family Fun Icebreaker: How does the person to your right encourage you?

Topic Question: Who is God?

Today’s Big Idea: God is the Father of All

Scripture explains that another name for God is your loving, heavenly
Father. Every family receives their name from God. Whether or not you
have an earthly father active in your life, you possess a heavenly Father who
is active in your life. If you will turn to Him, He is always there to comfort
and encourage you. The Bible refers to God in Aramaic as “Abba,” which
means “Dear Father.” Jesus is God’s Son who was sent to earth to reveal the
Father to you and me. Jesus explains that when you pray, you are to say,
“Our Father who is in heaven” and refer to God as your “Father” (Matthew
6:9 NASB). Jesus also tells of how the Father plans to guide you through
your life, such as leading you in the right direction, giving you wise counsel,
providing for you, strengthening you with His Spirit, listening to you, and
encouraging you.

Talk with God: Read the scripture aloud.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV)

Walk with God: Read aloud and discuss.

To recognize God as a Father is comforting to most people. Sometimes,
if there a negative experience of a father in your life, it may be more of a
challenge for you to think of God in this way. Try to think of God as the
good Father that you always wished for; encourage yourself to see Him as a
trusted friend who is there to help build you up.

Discuss with your family: A father is the spiritual leader of his family. He
provides financially, protects, mentors, and loves unconditionally. Do you
see the parallel of the heavenly Father to an earthly father? How does it help
you to think of having a heavenly Father who assists you with those same
responsibilities, except this Father knows all, controls all, and has power
over all?

Prayer suggestion: Pray for God, the Father, to encourage you to learn
more about Him.