Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Luke chapter 12, verse 32, fear not little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Oh, what a great verse. In this little verse, see these three pictures of God

toward you. And this is Jesus speaking. He starts from the very beginning, says,

Fear not. Maybe just pause for a moment and consider what are you tempted to fear? How are you tempted

to fear in any way? And Jesus is saying, don't be afraid. How can you not be afraid?

And he uses these three images.

He says, fear not little flock.

It's the first picture Jesus gives us of God is as a shepherd and we're sheep.

Don't be afraid because there is a shepherd, a good shepherd,

a great shepherd who loves you so much as his sheep

that he promises to protect you,

to provide for you, to feed you, to nourish you, to if you wander off, to go running after you

and bring you back, don't be afraid because God is a good shepherd. Then he says, Fear Not Little

Flock, for it is your father's good pleasure.

So not only is God a good shepherd for you as a sheep, but he's a good father who takes pleasure

in you. He loves you so much. I think about my six kids, how much I love them, how much pleasure I take in them,

how much I delight over them, how much I enjoy being with them. And I'm an imperfect father.

For God to be this for us as the perfect father, he delights in you. He loves you. He cherishes you. He wants to provide good for you.

I want to provide good for my kids. God perfectly wants to provide good for his children.

And not just wants to, has the power and the wisdom to do that. It is his good pleasure to provide for you.

So see God, one, as a shepherd for you as a sheep.

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