{"id":2617,"date":"2013-08-24T10:08:31","date_gmt":"2013-08-24T10:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2617"},"modified":"2013-08-24T10:08:31","modified_gmt":"2013-08-24T10:08:31","slug":"god-is-our-parent-%e2%80%94-a-kind-and-tender-hearted-parent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2617","title":{"rendered":"God is our parent \u2014 a kind and tender-hearted parent."},"content":{"rendered":"

God is our parent \u2014 a kind and tender-hearted parent. He is peculiarly attached to His people<\/em> \u2014 they are dear to Him, precious in His sight. They are His portion<\/em>. He prizes<\/em> them above all creation. He is strong to sustain, to defend, and support them. His strong arm<\/em>, tender heart<\/em>, and watchful eye<\/em> \u2014 are all employed for them \u2014 and especially so in old age.
\nThe aged believer is as a child<\/em>. He is weak. He feels exposed and defenseless. He is timid and fearful. But the Lord, as a tender parent, engages to take him up in the arms of His power<\/em> \u2014 and carry him in the bosom of His love! <\/em>Like a tender lamb in the shepherd\u2019s bosom, on a cold and frosty night, borne across a bleak and snow-covered wasteland \u2014 so the believer, \u00a0shall be carried in the bosom of his God, across the bleak and cheerless desert of time.<\/p>\n

God will carry him tenderly<\/em> \u2014 hushing the weak one\u2019s fears. He will bear him carefully<\/em> \u2014 so that nothing shall harm or hurt him. He will soothe <\/em>him with gentle words, and encourage <\/em>him with kind acts \u2014 until He safely introduces him at Home!
\nChristian, you have nothing to fear! Your God says, \u201cI will be your God throughout your lifetime \u2014 until your hair is white with age! I am your Father \u2014 your Friend \u2014 your solace \u2014 and your confidence! Look unto Me \u2014 even to old age, I will carry<\/em> you. I will bear you up under all that you feel and fear. I will carry you through all that discourages or distresses you. I will deliver <\/em>you from foes, fears, dangers, and death itself! Nothing shall by any means hurt you! My arm <\/em>is strong enough \u2014 trust in it. My bosom <\/em>is your resting-place \u2014 lean on it, lean hard!<\/em> Do not be afraid . . .
\nlove dwells there,
\npity rules there,
\nyour name is engraved <\/em>there!
\nTrust me, I will never leave you nor forsake you!
\n\u201cHearken!\u201d Believer, your God bids you to \u201chearken.\u201d His words are true and faithful. He speaks to banish your fears. He speaks to strengthen your faith. He speaks to comfort your poor drooping heart. He speaks to clothe your care-worn brow, with the light of hope, with the cheerfulness which confidence imparts.
\nHearken to Him \u2014 not to unbelief!
\nHearken to Him \u2014 not to carnal reason!
\nHearken to Him \u2014 not to Satan!
\nHearken to Him \u2014 not to erroneous men!
\nHearken, it is your Savior <\/em>who speaks;
\nit is the Guide of your youth <\/em>who addresses you;
\nit is your tender Parent<\/em> who seeks to cheer your heart.
\n\u201cAs one whom his mother comforts\u201d \u2014 so does your God comfort you.
\nHe is near <\/em>you \u2014 near you every moment;
\nHe will carry <\/em>you \u2014 carry you every step;
\nHe will deliver<\/em> you \u2014 deliver you from every danger, trouble, and foe!<\/p>\n

James Smith.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

God is our parent \u2014 a kind and tender-hearted parent. He is peculiarly attached to His people \u2014 they are dear to Him, precious in His sight. They are His portion. He prizes them above all creation. He is strong to sustain, to defend, and support them. His strong arm, tender heart, and watchful eye […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93,61,64,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-author-james-smith","category-believers-assurance","category-successful-saviour","category-pictures-and-types"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2617"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2618,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617\/revisions\/2618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}