Moments With The Father

 

Now it occurred in these days that He came out into the mountain to pray, and throughout the night He was in prayer to God. 

Lukes Account 6: 12, Concordant Old Testament 

I've been in the habit for some time to begin each and every morning with a conversation with the Father.  I have found that this not only begins my day on a positive note, but reminds me of where my thoughts need to be.  For it is God to whom I owe all of who I am.  It is God who has formed me is His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  The scriptures refer to those times when Jesus would retreat to a private place as Him being in prayer to the Father.  But I have a different take on that.  I believe that in these moments, that Jesus was indeed speaking directly in conversation with God, Father and Son.  For what we often refer to as prayer, is simply our own conversation with the Lord.  These are our moments with the Father.  I see the concept of conversation as something deeply personal.  We have conversations with our friends and those we know.  I believe that this is how we communicate with God in our daily lives.  Jesus would often  retreat to those private places in order to be alone with the Father.  I've found that I don't need to do that in order to speak to God.  Yes, it helps to be somewhere where our minds are not cluttered with so many things, but we can have a conversation with the Father anywhere at any time.  Growing up, I thought that prayers were only there when we needed something or to thank the Lord for His provision.  While this is still true, our conversations with the Lord can be a prelude to our own personal relationship with Him.  How often have we had personal conversations with those we love and care about?  Of course, to have this understanding is to know who we are in the Father.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in me, and I in you. 

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament 

So, how is it that you see your relationship with Jesus?  With the Father?  Are you stuck in the mainstream church ideal that we are somehow separated from God by your own sin nature?  Well, the good news is that Jesus Himself has taken care of that on the cross.  For not only did Jesus give Himself that we would be free from sin {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  It is Christ who has died for us once for all time {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  There are no do overs with Jesus.  He has freed us from that sin nature we once carried.  We are indeed, dead to sin {Paul to the Romans 6:11}.  Knowing this, we know that we can approach the Father in confidence {To the Hebrews 4:16}.  We have the confidence that when we speak, that the Father hears us {First Epistle of John 5:14}.  We can know with confidence that we live in union with the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  Therefore, our moments with the Father are something deeply personal.  This is not simply a prayer spoken out of need, but a conversation between a Father and His child {First Epistle of John 3:2}.  Jesus knew the importance of His private moments alone in conversation with the Father.  We can share in these moments a swell.  

~Scott~