The Father Who Never Leaves
Reflections on Psalm 27:10
“Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” — Psalm 27:10
This verse hits like a tidal wave of hope in a world full of fatherlessness—or deep father wounds. At least, it should.
The Fatherless Crisis
Over 18 million children in the U.S. live without a biological father in the home. That’s 1 in 4 kids growing up without a dad.
(Source: National Fatherhood Initiative)
But even if your dad was physically present, he may not have been emotionally present. And that absence? It leaves a horrific mark.
I know the feeling. I grew up in three different homes, and my birth dad was emotionally and spiritually absent in all of them. But God—rich in mercy—did something unexpected. He gave me father figures, still to this day, who helped me grow…
But more than that, at age 14, it felt like God personally entered the room. He showed me a truth that would change everything:
💥 He loved me. I was adopted. I was His son.
And that truth didn’t just comfort me—it redeemed the pain.
And it can redeem yours, too.
When You Can’t Picture Jesus as Father
I once heard someone say:
“When you close your eyes and try to picture Jesus…
You probably don’t see a loving Father.
You see a CEO.
A drill sergeant.
Maybe even an angry or disappointed man.”
That image?
That’s not the Father.
That’s your pain, your past, and your enemy trying to keep you from the full picture of Love.
But here’s the truth of Psalm 27:10:
God re-fathers the unfathered.
So let’s rewrite the picture.
Below are 5 healing truths to reframe fatherhood—with a lie exposed and a Never Finished Challenge to walk out.
1. Look at Jesus
Lie: "God is powerful but emotionally distant."
Truth: Jesus is the Father’s heart revealed.
He weeps over pain (John 11:35)
Welcomes children (Mark 10:14)
Defends the weak (John 8:1–11)
Confronts hypocrisy (Matthew 23)
Serves others to the point of death (John 13; Phil. 2)
Never Finished Challenge:
Read one Gospel chapter a day for a week. Every time Jesus moves toward someone in compassion, say out loud:
👉 “That’s the Father’s heart for me.”
2. Learn the Father's Voice in Scripture
Lie: "My earthly father's voice defines my worth."
Truth: God's Word restores and redefines your identity.
Luke 15 – A Father running to you
John 17 – A Savior praying for you
Isaiah 49:16 – Your name engraved on His hands
Never Finished Challenge:
Before reading Scripture this week, ask:
👉 “God, show me what kind of Father You are.”
Then journal 3 truths about His heart each day.
3. Let God Father You Daily
Lie: "I’m on my own now. God expects me to figure it out."
Truth: You are not His project—you are His beloved child.
You're not meant to live spiritually homeless. You are adopted, sealed, and indwelt by the Spirit of the Living God.
Never Finished Challenge:
Every morning this week, before your feet hit the floor, say:
👉 “Father, I receive Your love today—before I perform, produce, or prove anything.”
4. Call Out False Fathering Models
Lie: "God is a CEO, a sergeant, or a distant landlord."
Truth: He is Abba. Present. Patient. Personal.
Romans 8:15 says:
“You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but a Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”
Never Finished Challenge:
Write down the three fathering lies you subconsciously believe about God.
Then write a truth beside each one—grounded in Scripture.
Pray this aloud:
👉 “Abba, I reject these lies. I receive Your true heart as my Father.”
5. Imagine the Perfect Father
Lie: "God might give me things, but He doesn’t give me Himself."
Truth: He gives both. His presence is His greatest gift.
Imagine the King of Kings adopting you, calling you His own, protecting you, giving you what your soul can handle, and spending intentional time with you daily. That’s your Father.
Never Finished Challenge:
Go on a walk or sit in stillness and ask:
👉 “Father, if You were sitting with me right now, what would You say?”
Write what comes to your heart—don’t filter it. Let love speak.
What does today say about God?
I don’t care if I won a billion dollars today—
It would never compare to being called:
“His son.”
Yes, my wife is a gift.
Yes, my three girls are a gift.
But nothing compares to the identity Jesus died to give me:
I belong.
I am seen.
I am fathered.
Forever.
And so are you.
What are some of the lies you believed, and what has God done through you to help you through them?
Share this with someone who you think would be encouraged after reading this.
My father would say “I want to know you more.” Thanks for sharing.