By Melissa McLaughlin
Her fingers gripped the handlebars, and her feet thrust down on the pedals. With eyes focused in deep concentration, she poured her full strength into the task.
It seems like yesterday our children learned to ride a two-wheeled bike.
When each child was ready, my husband removed the training wheels. With one hand on the handlebars and one on the back of the bicycle seat, he steadied and guided our kids down the sidewalk.
As they picked up speed and gained their balance, my husband gently let go and allowed them to pedal on their own. After a teetering fall, he offered encouragement and ideas for improvement, then helped them walk their bikes back to the starting point to begin again.
I can still visualize their faces lit with the thrill of accomplishment when they achieved this great goal. We all rejoiced.
When learning to ride a bike, there’s nothing like the help of a loving father.
Someone who is stronger than you. Who has been there before. Who knows how to help. And loves you enough to help you get there.
Although no earthly parent is perfect, many loving dads, grandfathers, uncles, and godly male mentors provide glimpses of our heavenly Father’s goodness as they teach, help, and guide our children. We are grateful for these flashes of Fatherhood. However, no earthly dad lives forever. There is no permanent father except God.
Who is the Everlasting Father?
Scripture provides many depictions of our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One characterization listed in our Advent series from Isaiah 9:6 is the Everlasting Father.
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In the last two weeks, we studied the terms, “Wonderful Counselor” and “Mighty God.” This week we will contemplate “Everlasting Father.”
Jesus is God, one with the Father (John 10:30).
Jesus is also the Father of eternity (John 1:1-3).
Further, this name from Isaiah 9:6 portrays the Messiah as a Fatherly King who protects, provides, and leads His people for all eternity (John 18:36), (Luke 1:32-33).
When we remember Christ, we see Him as an Everlasting Father—
- Leaving His heavenly throne to come for us,
- Walking by our side and going before us to the cross,
- Paying the penalty for us,
- Protecting us from evil we brought on ourselves,
- Rising up in power and strength,
- Lifting, correcting, and guiding us with His Word and indwelling Spirit,
- So He can bring us home.
That is Jesus, our Everlasting Father.
Someone who is stronger than you. Who has been there before. Who knows how to help. And loves you enough to help you get there.
What does “Everlasting Father” mean? Jesus, our Messiah and loving Father King.
Can you think of an earthly father or father figure who reflects our heavenly Father? What memories come to your mind?
Exciting Update for My Readers!
By God’s grace, my new book, The Whole Bible Devotional, will be released on e-book before Christmas! I will send a link to purchase the book as soon as it is available.
Some other great news—the paperback book will launch the third week of January!
These book launch dates allow people to purchase the e-book for themselves or as gifts for Christmas. And to purchase the paperback book to draw near Christ in the new year. Praise God!
Thank you to everyone who prayed for me and for this book! Thank you to CLC Publications and everyone who assisted with this project! Thank you to everyone who graciously signed up to help on the Book Launch Team!
If you’d still like to join the Book Launch Team, I’d love your help and support! Below is the interest sign-up form. More information will be sent to Book Launch Team Members once the e-book is available.
Book Launch Team Interest Form Sign-Up
Book Launch Team Members are asked to:
- Purchase and read the book.
- Write an honest review.
- Help me spread the word by sharing on social media, via email, or telling a friend
If you can’t join the Book Launch Team, I understand. At some point, I hope you can purchase and read The Whole Bible Devotional, and I pray it draws you closer to Jesus.
May God be glorified and His people blessed through this book!
I still remember the disappointment of needing training wheels. But my Dad put them on the bike. They were raised a little bit higher than the bike wheels so you could ride on just 2 wheels. I didn’t know this. When he took the wheels off I could ride without assistance because I had been doing that with the training wheels as a safety net.
God has been there as a safety net all along even though I didn’t know it. He kept me from falling further into darkness. Thank you, Lord.
Wow! That’s a beautiful analogy with the training wheels. Your dad was smart. A father’s safety net, like our heavenly Father.
Amen. God is the everlasting Father. Your message made me smile. I’m blessed to be a child of God. Merry Christmas!
Amen, Melissa! We are so blessed to be a child of God! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
All I can do is sit here and weep a bit. Holy Spirit, thank you for revealing the Holy Trinity more clearly today…& I’ve only made a screenshot of the references to ‘Everlasting Father’ in John & Luke. I will visit these passages asap.
My earthly dad passed away peacefully in his sleep on 9.2.21 – I miss him so much this very moment. He spent his last 2 days on earth serving Alcoholics in recovery, gathering goods & donations for Salvation Army, & speaking to the broken men there on the morning of his last day on earth. On the evening of his last day on earth, he was back at an AA mtg to share his experience, strength & hope with other alcoholics in recovery, while recruiting more men to help with the mission & service of Salvation Army for the following day.
The following day he would be in Glory…he would be and is in the very presence of our ‘Everlasting Father.’
My dad’s earthy dad died when my dad was 7 yrs old. His earthy stepfather provided (was Chief Detective Phi, Pa police Dept) – but was cold/distant from my Dad. His mom, my grandmother was a former Dr Pepper model & an alcoholic who never found recovery & died from cirrhosis of the liver at age 52. I was 6 yrs old & it was 1971. We lived in SoCal when he got that call.
My dad was the greatest earthly father I could imagine. He suffered from alcoholism. He swore he’d never drink as he saw what it did to the mother he loved. I knew at a young age this is a disease: “an allergy to the body coupled with an obsession of the mind” – by God’s miracle he got sober in 83’ – by God’s miracle (history repeated) I got sober in 92’
Just a lot of thought & meditation. I know I am so fortunate to experience Christ …His redemption & restoration re: my dad & in me.
God gave me a glimpse of Heaven through my dad who worked hard (52 yrs Boeing) & by miracle became the dad he never had. He worked in many ways the same in me, only with a reference my dad didn’t have – a loving father on earth.
I pray for all who don’t know the love of a father on earth. Today, Holy Spirit through Melissa takes me to affection on what IS ABOVE…an “Everlasting Father” who never fails & who I am brought face to face with through this devotional, prayer and stillness. Yes, this has all brought me to a stillness to experience Jesus.
God Bless you Sister. My Spirit is ready for His book through you. I am grateful.
– Mike C
Mike, I am in tears reading these precious remembrances of your earthly dad. A good man and a loving father, without having an earthly reference. He broke ground for the kingdom and he broke generational chains for you and your family. Praise the Lord! What a powerful testimony! What a loving memorial you have written. And what a legacy your dad left through you, your life, your recovery, your faith in Jesus, and your ministry and outreach to help others find freedom and the love of our Savior. May God continue to bless you, your family, your children and grandchildren, and your ministry. One day we will join those saints who went before us, as we gather at the feet of Jesus in total awe and worship. HE is our Redeemer, Savior, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father. Grace upon grace! Melissa
So good. Our God is also our EVERLASTING FATHER. He loves us forever, without fail. We can always count on him!
What comfort and peace it is to know this truth! Yes, Jessica! Our Everlasting Father loves us forever! God bless you!
Thank you Melissa!
Beautiful! Merry Christmas! So thankful for Our Everlasting Father, who will bring us home soon. ❤️🙏
May God continue to bless you more always!
❤️🙏
Thank you, Audre, for stopping by to read and offer a word of encouragement. What a good, good Father God! The Lord bless you again and again! Merry Christmas!
I loved this series Melissa. It was so beautiful especially to reflect on these names at the glorious time of year. Merry Christmas
God’s Word offers such rich treasures as we seek to know Him more. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Yvonne!
Melissa, I’ve really enjoyed learning more about these titles for Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. It’s such a beautiful Bible verse and your writing is always full of insight and beauty. Thankful my Savior is the Everlasting Father.
So excited about your book release! Yay!
Amen, Karen! What a blessing to know our Savior is our Everlasting Father. He will bring us home! I love this Scripture passage, too. God’s Word nourishes and enriches our souls like nothing else. Thank you for helping me celebrate what God is doing through the book! Merry Christmas to you and your family!