Our Father

While Jesus was on earth he was an example to us of what a relationship with God is supposed to look like. Jesus continually refers to God as his Father and our Father (Matthew 5:16, 45, 48, Luke 11:2, 13, John 20:17). This gives us important insight into the nature of God and how he desires for us to know him. While Jesus is described as our messiah, redeemer, savior, friend and bridegroom, God takes the name “Father.” Rather than the fearful or aloof gods of ancient culture, the Judeo-Christian God is one that desires a nurturing, loving relationship with his children. This is why Jesus describes God as a Father with a house (John 14:1) rather than a ruler with a kingdom or even a creator with his creation, although these attributes are also true.

We know that it was the Father’s desire to be in relationship with his children that motivated the incarnation of Christ and was the reason for his death and resurrection. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for the sake of mankind’s reconciliation to God he can declare himself the only way to the Father (Jn. 14:6). There is no other way to be reconciled to Father God but through the cross of Christ. And there is no other way to relate to God than through the cross of Christ. There is nothing you can do with your own skill, strength or even spiritual giftedness that wins you an audience with God, much less a relationship. In fact, relying on these things is what empties the cross of its power, as Paul told the Corinthian Church, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (I Corinthians 1:17). Of course, many of us agree theologically that it is not by our own works that we have access to the Father, but if we are honest with ourselves, too often our theology does not match our experience. Perhaps part of the reason is that in a culture ruled by religious mandates and the intellectual desire for empirical evidence we are reluctant to embrace the foolishness of a relationship where I continually remain as a child, dependent on the love of my unseen Father (who some might think of as my imaginary friend). We are reluctant to appear foolish, as a spiritual novice, who simply lives abandoned to the love of Father God. But the Father is not looking for the experts, professionals or the gifted. He is looking for a child. This is your primary calling in life. Not to preach or minister or even serve. Simply to be his kid.

Relationship with God is not like relationship with people. Your experience with other people tells you that you must work hard to be attractive or win another’s affections. Your experience with other people tells you that if you do not live up to their expectations you risk rejection and abandonment. But as God’s child you are already attractive to him and you have already won his heart simply by being born. He will not reject or abandon you if you do not measure up because you already know you cannot measure up. His love is not based on what you can do but on what He has already done for you. All you must do to access an experience with this loving, perfect Father is to let go of your need to see with your eyes, hear with your ears and know with your intellect. You must with childlike faith believe in the unseen, that which you cannot grasp with your minds, and receive His love that is far beyond what you could ever deserve or even imagine. Then you will know what a relationship with God is like and you will experience this “love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).