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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FATHER
By Jean Jantzen
But the end of all things is at hand: Do you have the close relationship with your Father in heaven that you desire? If not, what is preventing that intimacy you yearn for? Can you cry your eyes out before your maker? Can you tell him everything that is in your heart …your every trouble, secret, fantasy, need? Many of us did not grow up having a close relationship with our father or grandfather, which makes it difficult to relate with our Father in heaven. He is just off somewhere—a stranger that we think doesn’t know our deepest needs and doesn’t really care—the distance seemingly unbridgeable…that couldn’t be farther from the truth. These two great and awesome Beings love us more than life itself. They embody the word love. A huge miraculous change of attitude should happen when we are called—an excellent example was Saul’s conversion. When the single-minded Saul was humbled into submission, he asked Jesus Christ, "What shall I do, Lord?" a driven man was converted into a called one. Paul became close with God. The human Jesus also had an intimate relationship with His Father in heaven. We in the body of Christ should strive for this type of relationship. Jesus tells us "…I am not alone, because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32). Jesus knew the Father was always with Him. He had a connection that was unbreakable. That’s possible for us. Let’s get practical, though, sometimes it is difficult to just drop to your knees and have instant connection. Our lives are so busy, working, running to and fro, that we get caught up in the physical pursuits. I need somehow to slow down before I can pray otherwise my mind is jumping all over the place…trying to talk to God and my mind drifting off to other things. How can that be effective communication when I’m being constantly bombarded and interrupted by my own jumbled thoughts? I have found a solution and I want to share that solution. We need to prepare our minds for prayer, so I’ve been doing a journal every day. I reflect on the happenings, the conversations, the observations of the day. Journaling is a way to balance this part of our lives, whether it’s about what we are currently learning in the Bible, those things that are weighing us down, or simply about how our day was spent and a way to slow down and meditate on the important things. When I am finished writing out my thoughts on a page (which takes fifteen- twenty minutes) my mind is more focused. I then write out a prayer to God on another page, then I go to Him adding details, concerns and thoughts that I think of as I go along. This has helped me concentrate on what is important and to help my mind from wandering. (You can do this early in the morning or in the evening or whenever it’s best for you.) Another benefit of writing out our thoughts is to help us examine our lives. It will help us later to look back at our recorded prayers and see how Christ has answered them. A great source of inspiration is HWA Armstrong’s autobiography about his growing relationship with God and how God cared so much for the details of his everyday life. Mr. Armstrong said to his wife when there was no milk for his son because they didn’t have a dime, "There’s only one thing to do…We’re helpless, of ourselves. There’s no human to help us. We’ll have to rely on God. He has promised to supply all our need—and this is a need." Mr. Armstrong time after time, after time relied on God and God always came through teaching HWA the lessons he needed to learn, especially to depend on God. The important thing is that HWA wrote these things down so we can benefit from his experience with these two loving, caring Beings. I know his book helped me understand our heavenly Father much better. Today, hundreds of years later, we also possess the journal of reflections, feelings, lamentations, praises, and prayers of King David. We can learn a great deal from his writings. Following his example will help us to also become a man or woman after God’s own heart. We too can write down what is most important to us. Like us, David asks " How long must I wrestle with my thoughts" (Psalm13:2). In studying the Psalms, we learn David goes to God with everything…for healing, (6:2) for thanksgiving (100) for praise of God, (103) for repentance and forgiveness (51). David reflects on the evil that surrounds him, human nature, (12) his own included. We know writing these thoughts down helped David focus; it helped him have an intimate relationship with the Father.He says "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" (5:3) "…. the LORD has heard my weeping" (6:8). David talked with God throughout the day and we should too. "I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken" (16:8). It’s important to David that He remains "…the apple of [God’s] eye;" (17:8). It should also be our longing to be the apple of our Father’s eye too. David learned over the years, "The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (121:7, 8). That’s a profound statement…think on it… We all know we should pray, but are we truly effective? …it’s easier said than done. I think we all want this closeness, this oneness with the Father and Son…but don’t know how. It is imperative we become close—our eternal life depends upon it. And we cannot do this on our own…in our weakness and neediness and lack of discipline, we need to cry out for strength and power and love of His Spirit for a thriving spiritual union. In Christ we enter into this intimacy by receiving the spirit of adoption, causing us to cry out ‘Abba! Father!’ (Romans 8:15). God’s spirit makes all things possible. "God has said of you, I will dwell in [you] and walk among [you], and I will be [your] God and [you] shall be My people.... I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me" (2 Corinthians 6:16-18).
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