When many hear the world 'God', they feel uneasy. It's a word that may evoke pictures of an old man in the sky, angry at us for everything we've done, a distant, overwhelming authority figure. This isn't how God is portrayed in the Bible, not at all. Floyd McClung's "The Father Heart of God" goes about setting things straight, using scriptural evidence along with his experience as a counsellor and missionary.

God is like the perfect father, loving, patient and always there for us, but this is a truth that many find hard to accept. Hearing the word 'father' often can evoke visions of one's own father, McClung says. If one's father was abusive and violent, they will see God as abusive and violent. If one's father was strict and unforgiving, they will see God as strict and unforgiving, even though the Bible tells us this is clearly not the case. In his work, McClung has met so many scarred both emotionally and spiritually by a poor father.

When I heard about McClung's idea, I must admit I was a little skeptical. Past hurts makes it harder to come to God, yes, but surely people wouldn't mistake God for the behavior of their biological father, would they? As I read the book, I realized it applied to me too. My dad, though a great guy, worked very hard when I was growing up, and wasn't at home for very often. Even though his work was just up the road, he felt so far away. I believe in God, love him, and am doing my best to follow him, but sometimes I have felt that even though he is really close in my life, that he is distant from me for some reason. Where did I get this idea from? The example of my father! Though only a minor example compared to some in the book, I was rather shaken and humbled by the realisation.

So if God is like a father, but not like my father, you may ask, what kind of father is he? What does he want from me? What does he think? What does he feel? Where has he been all my life? McClung provides the answers in a series of well written, flowing chapters, along with strategies for getting rid of all the hurt of the past. Strategies (hand in hand with prayer) that work. I got a lot out of the chapter on "the Saul Syndrome", an analysis of the dysfunction of King Saul, the first Israeli king, applied to modern life.

It's a thin book, doesn't take long to read, but is filled to the brim with life changing material. I'd recommend it to Christians seeking to strengthen their relationship with God and to fathers looking to improve upon their loving environment in which they surround their children (there's a whole chapter devoted to fathers).

Those who are searching for truth or are new to the idea of God will get a lot out of this book too. McClung does interchange the word Jesus with God, with little explanation to the newcomer as to why, which could get a bit confusing, not a good feeling when you're all searching and vulnerable. Isn't Jesus a son and not a father, the newcomer might ask? I suppose you've just got to remember that Jesus came to show us what God is like. "Like father, like son" as the old saying goes.

This book is a very good and fast read. I recommend this book to everyone. I think that everyone should read this book.