God, my Father

I mentioned previously that I was on a quest to delve deep into the identity of God (The Three Whos in Our Life), or the characteristics of God, namely who God is to me. To us. To humankind. 

And I know there are so many aspects of God, as can be found in the Bible:

1. Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14) "The LORD our provider
2. Jehovah Rapha (Exodus 15:26) "The LORD our Healer"
3. Jehovah Nissi (Exodus 17:15) "The LORD our Banner"
4. Jehovah Shalom (Judges 6:24) "The LORD our Peace"
5. Jehovah Raah (Psalms 23:1) "The LORD our Shepherd"
6. Jehovah Tsidkenu (Jeremiah 23:6) "The LORD our Righteousness"
7. Jehovah Shammah (Ezekiel 48:35) "The LORD ever present"

But what I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to study on was on the fact and truth of God as my Father, my Lord and my Creator. 

I have written so much about my orphaned-spirit previously. And God has dealt so much in and with me in this area. Honestly, in my flesh (and in my pride 🙈), I wondered what new revelation could I still receive. 

But I obeyed. 

I remembered a sister in Christ sharing her insights on her favourite parable, the Parable of the Lost Son. She said this about this parable - It showed her the heart of our Father, one that waits for us. And I felt led to read the parable again. 

Let's read the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:11-32 again, shall we? 

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” 

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ 

Source: Internet

In reading the parable this time, I suddenly saw something I hadn't seen all this time - what the father did to the sons. 

1. To the wayward son - ran and fell on his neck and kissed him, best robe, ring, sandals, fatted calf, eat, be merry. 
2. To the obedient son - you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
3. To the obedient son who got angry - came out and pleaded with him. 

Both times and to both sons:

1. The father ran out (wayward son) and came out (angry obedient son).
2. The father kissed (wayward son) and pleaded (angry obedient son). 

The emphasis, whenever, one reads the Parable of the Lost Son is usually on the lost son and how much his father loves him and received him back. The other side of the coin was to look at the other son who could not understand the father's action and attitude. 

But the Holy Spirit showed me two things:

1) In all scenarios and situations, at all times, His heart and posture is always towards us. One of love and reconciliation. 

Even to the obedient son who was sulking, it was the father who went out and pleaded with him. The father didn't just let him 'finish sulking' and return to the house on his own (he could have 😂). The father wasn't too overjoyed over the lost son, focusing on the homecoming, lost son and had forgotten all about the obedient, elder son.

To both his sons, he went out to them. And reached out to them. He brought them back to him. 

This is not a father who is high and mighty, above and far away. Nor a father who sits with authority and sternness, with a cane in his hand, waiting for the repentant ones to approach him.

Oh, how much does our Abba Father loves us! 

2) That the obedient son is always with the father. The father is always with him. And all that the father has is his. 

Yes, many preachers have pointed out the lack in the obedient son - being unaware of his blessings, of his possession, and having an ungrateful, envious heart. 😅

All that is true. 

But as I read the Parable of the Lost Son again, the words of the father to the elder son really clutched at my heart. 

Oh, do you hear our Abba Father saying to us:

Son. Daughter. You are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 

In that moment, a deep desire surged in my heart to be that obedient son of my Abba Father. Yes, I may make mistakes and sulk 🙈(and that is definitely not a pretty sight to behold), but I want to be forever at my Father's side, never leaving, never turning/ going away. 

Because, beloved in Christ, even when I may be weak and fallen short at times, my Father comes out and pleads with me. And He...

1. Reminds me who I am - Son. Daughter. 

2. Reminds me whose I am - His son. His daughter. 

3. Reminds me where I am - Always with Him. 

4. Reminds me what I have - All that He has.