THE BIBLE DESCRIBES THE CHARACTER of our waiting Father in many ways. Consider some of the qualities which the Scriptures teach about God.

1. CREATOR... One who creates us in His image... with freedom to choose to freely respond to His love.

"IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING... FOR WE ARE INDEED HIS OFFSPRING" (Acts 17:28).

"O LORD, THOU ART OUR FATHER... WE ARE THE CLAY AND THOU ART OUR POTTER... WE ARE ALL THE WORK OF THY HAND" (Isaiah 64:8).

2. PROVIDER... One who loves to provide for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs.

"IF YOU THEN, WHO ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM?" (Matthew 7:11).

3. FRIEND AND COUNSELOR... One who longs to have intimate friendship with us and to give us wise counsel and instruction.

"THOU ART THE FRIEND OF MY YOUTH" (Jeremiah 3:4).

"AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, LASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE" (Isaiah 9:6).

"THOU DOTH GUIDE ME WITH THY COUNSEL" (Psalms 73:24).

4. CORRECTOR... One who lovingly corrects... and disciplines.

"MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD... FOR THE LORD DISCIPLINES HIM WHOM HE LOVES, AND CHASTISES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES... IF YOU ARE LEFT WITHOUT DISCIPLINE... THEN YOU ARE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND NOT SONS... FOR THE MOMENT ALL DISCIPLINE SEEMS PAINFUL RATHER THAN PLEASANT; LATER IT YIELDS THE PEACEFUL FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY IT" (Hebrews 12:5,6,8,11).

5. REDEEMER... One who forgives His children's faults and brings good out of failures and weaknesses. One who saves.

"THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, AND ABOUNDING IN STEADFAST LOVE... AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR DOES HE REMOVE OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US. AS A FATHER PITIES HIS CHILDREN, SO THE LORD PITIES THOSE WHO FEAR HIM" (Psalms 103:8).