by Do you feel at times that you are just on the brink of knowing God? No matter how many times you read the Bible, there is always something new springing up at you from its pages?
Have you ever heard someone praying to Jesus? I have, and though I know they do it innocently, I still cringe. Yes, we’re to pray “in Jesus name”, but our guidelines in Matthew 6:9-11 (The Lord’s Prayer) clearly tell us to Whom we’re praying. God the Father.
My dad has always said that God the Father is the most neglected member of the Trinity, and today I found another site saying the same thing. In fact, my dad’s burden is for God the Father to become real to today’s Christian. He says that one of the reasons men are such “back-seat Christians” (my term, not his) is because of the lack of teaching on the Father.
I’ve asked my dad to share some of his thoughts on God the Father here, hopefully soon. But for now, let me leave you with this thought that as far as I know, originated with my mother:
Was it Jesus’ love for us that made Him willing to die on the cross for our sins? If so, why did He shed drops of blood and pray to have ‘this cup removed’ (His upcoming death)…He died on the cross for us out of His great love of His Father, and wanting His Father’s will to be done.
John 3:16 says,
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world…God the Father…
And then, how amazing in light of the Godhead:
This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
Have you given God the Father much thought lately?
Christianity is both simple and complicated at the same time. The straightforward message of the Gospel tells us about free Grace that comes at the highest cost.
And the monoteism of God is definitely not easy to grasp in the light of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
How lucky we are that He gave us our whole lives to understand all of it…
Hi there, came across your site through Mind the Gap blogger. Like your reflection on God the Father. Certainly is a lost concept on many people. Feminism and radical secularism has seriously challanged the concept of the Fatherhood of God. Some of the ideas have been helpful because not all experiences of fatherhood that people grow up with are health and so when they hear about God been a father they react negitively. However the negative criicisms of the fatherhood of God say that it is paterarchical but I think they miss the point. When we say God is father we do so in a way that far trancends human concepts of fatherhood. It is men who take thier vocation to fatherhood from God and not the other way around. The fatherhood of God is strictly a revelation which human reason could not have created. God reveals himself as Father through Jesus, which is truely remarkable.
Leonard
I love the concept of truly knowing God. John 1:18 reminds me constantly that Jesus came to show us His Father. To me that is awesome! 14:21 in the same book tells me that if I cherish and obey His truth, it shows that I love Him and, if I love Him, He will show His love to me (in my daily walk) and His Father (and mine) will love me and, through it all, Jesus Himself will make Himself known to me. His Word is so rich. I love truths like Proverbs 9:10, don’t you?
Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Thanks for sharing that verse! There doesn’t seem to be much fear/respect of the Lord in today’s culture, even in the church. Does that mean there’s not much wisdom either? And how many Christians pick up their Bible daily to gain knowledge of God? I’ve heard many say that they just don’t understand it when they do read it…so they give up on reading it. deb, your comment here is worth a post of it’s own. I appreciate the scriptures!
Leonard, I totally agree that they’re missing the point (the negative criticism of patriarchy) or at the very least, they’re misunderstanding the point. What a revival of our culture it would be if God the Father became real to Christians…thanks so much for taking the time to point out why it’s absent or unwelcome in today’s culture.
Ann, exactly! The word of God is simple for us when we need it to be, and is revealed layer by layer according to our desire to know Him. I’m so blessed to have my dad and mom over weekly to study on these things together…their many years of combined wisdom are amazing.
Mary,
Thanks for the Hat Tip. I’d like to suggest a great book that’s out right now which your readers might enjoy on the topic of the Deity of God the Father. John Koessler is a professor at Moody Bible Institute and a very Godly man whom I admire immensly. His book “God our Father” is a wonderful theology of the Father.
tcblack
Thank you for the recommendation! And the link to the book, sounds wonderful! And you’re welcome for the “hat tip”! :O)
What an interesting concept– as far as thinking about God the Father the originator and the center of worship. I know that our oldest prays “to Jesus” (though at his age, it’s good that he’s practicing giving God or Jesus thanks for all things regardless if he gets the semantics right), but it’s fascinating that we spend a lot of time talking about Jesus– what He did, what He wants, when it’s God the Father’s attributes that cause us to fall on our knees in worship.
I look forward to future posts on this topic!
In actuality, we are praying to the God, because they are three in One. However, if you remember in John, I forgot the scripture, I will have to get back to you on it. Jesus clearly states that no one comes onto the Father but through Him.
Jesus became our intercessor when He died on the cross for us.
Powerful! You are SO right about this. I wonder why that is? Maybe because Jesus has been in our shoes and seems more accessible? I never made the connection between lack of male leadership being a result of lack of teaching about the Father. Good point.
BTW, I love the new look here, and your picture is adorable!
Mary,
Love the post. It really got me thinking. I have been hearing the question about who I pray to when I open my prayer rattling around in the very quietest parts of my mind alot lately. You know what I mean? It is like a quiet whisper every time I open with “Oh Jesus, my Lord…” Perhaps this is precisely what that whisper was telling me. That I need to be praying to the Father, and by the power of the nature of Jesus Christ (in His Name). I am also thinking alot about the role of the Holy Spirit. I imagine I will write a post about that soon.
Thanks for this reminder!
Mrs. Meg Logan
I remember so well the day I was thinking about John 3:16 when it hit me that Jesus didn’t go to the cross because He loved me, but because His Father so loved the world (which of course, included each of us). And, in the garden just before His crucifixion, Jesus asked the Father to remove the cup which was His anticipation of being separated from His Father as He bore our sins on the cross. But He submitted gladly to His Father for the job ahead when He said, ‘Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done”. He loved His Father so much and was so ONE WITH HIM, that He went to the cross out of love. That has become an important lesson to me. He wants me to ask for whatever I will, but to gladly reiterate Jesus’ attitude of ‘not my will’. That is sweet to me. HE IS GOD. A few years ago, Back to the Bible had an ad on the back of the magazine. The title of the ad was ‘Let God be God’. That impacted me greatly. My thoughts and plans and decisions so often reveal my efforts to take over the reins and run my own life. This is especially true when suffering or testing is involved. I tend to want what I want when I want it…and not see or accept His purpose in allowing it.
Leticia, I get what you’re saying, that God is triune, three in one, but each one of the three has a different role. The scripture you refer to is John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the way to the Father, but He is not the Father. So we pray to the Father, in Jesus’ name.
Jesus said to use the Lord’s prayer as a model on how to pray, and it starts, “Our Father, who art in Heaven…”
I think it’s a common misunderstanding, I hear it now and then.
GeorgianaD, you’re reacting as I did when I first heard that link between the missing men/fathers (in Christianity) and the missing Father-God. It is truly powerful!
Mrs. Meg Logan, I think you are a blessing. Yes, I know exactly what you mean, and I pray that you’ll find peace and assurance…and meanwhile, I look forward to your post on the Holy Spirit…
I can see where you are coming from and I do talk to the Lord and to the Father. I just love the fact that we can.