The scriptures are clear in characterizing God as our heavenly Father. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He instructed them to address God as their Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9). Paul wrote that we had “received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15). In 1 Peter 1:17 Peter said, “And if you call on the Father”, speaking of God as our Father.
As our spiritual Father, God provides for His children. In Matthew 7:11 Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” And in James 1:17 James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights”.
Also, as our spiritual Father, God disciplines. In Hebrews 12:6 the Hebrew writer says, “For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” And in verses 10 and 11 he points out that this chastening is “for our profit”, and that it “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
There are some who want a grandfather in heaven, one who gives gifts but expects nothing in return. Our God is not a Grandfather in heaven, but a Father. He does “give us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17), but He also requires that we live according to His rules (Matthew 7:21-23). If we will live as obedient children, our heavenly Father will bless us eternally with a home in heaven with Him (2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 21:3-4).