DOES GOD GET DISAPPOINTED IN US ?

As parents, we sometimes get disappointed in our children. What is God’s reaction when we disobey Him or break His heart ?

Ps 103 : 13-14 tells us : « As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities (has compassion and mercy) those who fear Him (not with a servile fear, but with reverence and respectful love). For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. »

Psalm 23 describes God as being a Good Shepherd who takes good care of His sheep and « restore our souls ».  He does not say : « Sorry, you got yourself in your own mess, it is your problem and I won’t rescue you. » That would not be a good Father. Instead, He has the attitude : « Take My hand. Let Me rescue you out of your pit. »

In Luke 15, Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son which accurately reveals God’s heart.

“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. (One of the worst things a son could do to his father. He was basically saying ‘I dont need you anymore. It’s as if you were dead to me.’)

And the father divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’  And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him fervently.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’

In having the best robe placed on him, the Father was telling his son as well as all observers that his position as son was being restored. The ring represented authority, it was like the family credit card. The shoes on his feet meant that the boy was welcomed back as a son, not as a slave. (The slaves probably went barefoot.)

His father showed him that his worth and value had not changed, even though his sins were great.

Probably all of us have, at times, strayed from the right path, and done things that displeased God and saddened Him. I am not saying there are no consequences for sin and wrong doings, but we should not think that the God of the universe is mad at us.

When, like the prodigal son, we realize our wrongdoings and humbly come back to Him and ask for His forgiveness, He will receive us with outstretched arms. We have a good Father who loves us in the midst of our biggest failures.

No matter how bad we mess up, we can be sure He eagerly awaits our return to Him, He longs to receive us and restore our souls.