23“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."
John 16: 23 - 24 NKJV
The conversation came up this week of just how it is that we will hear the voice of our heavenly Father. It wasn't so much of a conversation as it was a question I posed to Dennis. Charles Stanley begins one of his devotionals from Matthew 5 with the admonishment that as christians we must not see God as miserly or tight fisted when it comes to our requests. However, this passage from one our most well known pastors reminded me not of a intimate conversation with God, but of His children coming to Him with their own wish lists. Was this really Gods intention when Jesus assured us that our joy would be full? I'm thinking not. For it was Christ Himself who warned us in Matthew 6 that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" {Matthew 6:21}. I simply cannot believe that our heavenly Father would have us link those material things which we desire with our intimate conversation with Him. No, it is Christ who tells us to first "seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" {Matthew 6:33}. Think about that for a minute, God never tells His children that He would never provide for us, but that when we seek Him that all these things would be added to us. Of course, I believe that Jesus was refering to Gods providing for our own basic needs in this passage. So, what does all of this have to do with hearing our Fathers voice? Well, when is it that we so often find ourselves seeking our Lords presence but when we are in need of His provision. Now, that doesn't mean that He does not delight in providing for us, but to me it seems like a one way street if we only come before the Father when we are in need. I truly believe that this is not how it is meant to be.
20“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV
I had a conversation with a coworker this week which in some way inspired me to write this post. This man was relating a experience a friend of his was having with his wife. It seems that any time there was a disagreement in their relationship that his friend would all too often attempt to quell any discord by taking his wife on a trip or with some other reward. Well, like pavlovs dog, the young lady soon learned to equate their marital issues with her material rewards. Although I've never been a parent, I'm smart enough to know that any parent whose child would equate their own parents love for them with material rewards would feel slighted. What does this all have to do with hearing our Fathers voice? Well, I believe that we've all too often made it a one sided conversation. We have needs, so we go to our Father to have them met. We've been conditioned. Too many of us contiue to see God as seperate from our own lives. However, far from being seperated, the Father is nearer to us than most of us realize. The apostle Paul tells us in Galations that it is Christ Himself who now resides in us. We ARE Jesus. So, if we indeed share that Spirit of Jesus in us, what can then be said of those desires that we? Are those desires which we have the same desires of He who is in us? Indeed, if we listen to our own hearts, we will surely hear the voice of the Father who is in us.
21“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25“O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26“And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
John 17: 21 - 26 NKJV
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment