“Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9,10
The moment that a person comes to Christ is the moment when God becomes his Father. There is established in that moment a relationship that is eternal in its application, and depthless in meaning. It centers around what is in God’s eyes, a perfect relationship between Him as our Father, and every son, or daughter, brought into the kingdom. The relationship is distinguished by several things, the first of which is love. Though the child may not understand or grasp the full significance of this love, that lack of knowledge in no wise diminishes in its absoluteness and perfection. It is a love resolved, accomplished, forever settled in heaven, one day to be realized and lived fully by the believing child. On earth, the knowledge of that love is “in part,” for the experience of it is determined by one’s capacity to receive it, and to live it by faith. It is a love OF God, given BY God, a permanently sustained love of a Father towards His child, which will never falter or fail. The issue is never one of abandonment or absence, from God’s standpoint. For the believer, his or her experience of that love, and the resolve to live in it, will be assailed by the enemy, seeking to plant in the heart and mind a lie to the contrary. It is in times like these when sense and thought are often assailed, that the words of eternal Scripture sound loud and clear: “…For I am convinced that nothing … can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38,39)
The relationship of the Father with his child is also one of heaven AND earth. When the believer is placed into Jesus Christ by the Father (1 Cor. 1:30), and Christ becomes His life, (wisdom, righteousness, sancification, and redemption), there is established an eternal relationship which is meant for both heaven and earth. While on earth, the believer who seeks God is one who is seeking first the knowledge of the truth of God, revealed in Christ. Secondly, he is seeking to learn the ways and means of God whereby the truths of heaven and earth, revealed in Christ Jesus, are to be known. It was Moses who once prayed to God, “…show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee.” (Ex. 33:13) It was T. Bimney who wrote: “There is a way for man to rise to that sublime abode; and Offering and a Sacrifice, A Holy Spirit’s energies, An Advocate with God.” Bimney reveals to us that God has provided a knowledge of the truth in Scripture concerning Himself. He also has provided a knowledge of His ways which can be known by the seeking, prayerful heart. The clear path to the Father for His child to come in full assurance of faith is absolutely certain for the one who would truly see, and seek Him.
In coming to the Father, if one is to be honest and knowledgeable of the immense privilege of coming before the Father in heaven, he comes to first worship, behold Him, and attribute to Him the honor and glory that are due Him. How small is the child, and how great the Father. Indeed, the vision of the Father should eclipse the very small consideration of what we are. The Father is unique, perfect in all of His person, without flaw or failure, without blemish or anything less than absolute faithfulness. He is God Almighty, the Eternal Father, who has guaranteed to every child whom He knows by name, an access to HImself by Christ, and strengthened by the Spirit, to come in full assurance of faith, not only to be accepted, but to be blessed.
From earth’s standpoint, with the knowledge of the Father, there can be no contradicting consideration to the establishment of His reign on this earth. His kingdom is to be propagated, and lived on this earth.
Dear Father, All honor be Thine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.