Father.
What does that word bring to mind for you? Good vibes or painful memories?
As a pastor, I know that the word “father” evokes many emotions. Even in a situation where a father is present, there is a mixture of sweet moments and disappointing ones.
So, whenever I talk about God as our Father, I’m reminded of a truth powerfully expressed by author Louie Giglio in his book, Not Forsaken. “God is not the reflection of your earthly dad; He is the perfection of your dad.” God is a safe person we can trust - He loves us and He keeps His promises.
The way God relates to us as a perfect Father is at the heart of NEEDTOBREATHE’s song, “Fall on Me.” The song, originally performed with Carly Pearce, was made into a music video which drew on imagery of a father’s unconditional love for his daughter with powerful lyrics.
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“You will always be
The one that I call
The safest place to fall
For me”
However, the band always wanted to revisit the song with a different slant. “When we were recording the original, we always imagined how cool the song would sound with a choir, and we’re honored to be joined by the incredible Maverick City Music on this special version.”
“Fall on Me” invites us to revisit our concept of God. The work of these two bands embodies A.W. Tozer’s famous quote. “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” When we imagine God as a father who resembles our fallen and imperfect dads, we don’t fall like NEEDTOBREATHE sings. Instead, we depend on our power.
One of my struggles as a follower of Jesus has been relating to God as a Rulemaker and Recordkeeper more than a Father. On far too many occasions, I try to do my best in my power and strength, only turning to God when I’ve reached my limits.
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This pattern means I shift from being dependent on myself and desperate for God’s power. I struggle to relate to God as a son, much less a Beloved one.
This struggle always draws me back to the most famous parable of Jesus, which has become known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. But, I believe a more appropriate title would be the Parable of the Loving Father. The father extends compassion to a younger, wayward son and grace to his older son who never left home but never embraced his love.
In Luke 15:31-32, the father tells the older son. “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!”
When we remember that we have a Father who is trustworthy and true in His character, we can lean on Him and fall on Him too. In the updated version of their song with Maverick City Music, NEEDTOBREATHE sings these words about relating to God as Father.
“I ain’t ever gonna leave you
So don’t keep another secret
No, your tears aren’t a weakness
You can fall, you can fall on Me.”
Whether this devotion has reminded you of how much gratitude or pain you have related to your earthly dad, I encourage you to remember the words of Louie Giglio from above. “God is not the reflection of your earthly dad; He is the perfection of your dad.” I pray you find healing as you depend on God more and more.
May the words of “Fall on Me” remind you that you have been chosen and adopted by a loving Father who longs for you to depend on Him for everything you need.
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps you laugh, challenges you to think, and invites you to grow. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and watches lots of football with his wife and three kids. You can learn more about Scott’s new free resource, The Gratitude Muscle Challenge, at scottsavagelive.com.
