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God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ. (Colossians 1:19 NLT)
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son... The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. (Heb 1:1-3a, NLT)
For most of my life (soon to be 74 years) I have struggled with what it means to have a relationship with our heavenly Father. Jesus told the disciples to pray after this manner… “Our Father…” As a young Catholic I was taught by the nuns to pray the rosary and the “The Lord’s Prayer” the “Our Father” was part of that. But this noun “father” had all the wrong connotations for me. My earthly father was a stern and austere man. There was very little funny business allowed in his presence. He was like a military drill Sargent and if I ever needed anything, I had to earn it. He did everything he could to make sure that I was not “spoiled.” I even had to sit next to him in church and if I squirmed because my buns were hurting from sitting on those hard pews, he would grab my knee and squeeze the nerve until it was like an intense electric shock. But the worst part of growing up with my father was that he was never there! During those years I was an only child and he spent many of those years working in remote areas of this world without us. When he was home, HE WASN’T HOME! He saw combat in WW2 and he was emotionally distant and resented any show of emotions in his presence. So, you see, for me to pray to “Our Father” had no connection to the reality of who God desires to be in our lives.
This week I was reading a daily devotional by T. Austin-Sparks and it started out with, God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ (Colossians 1:19 NLT) (1). Upon reading this I had a epiphany! All of a sudden a great controversy was settled in my heart. “Is it right to pray to our Father God or to Jesus?” I had a personal encounter with Jesus in 1970 that changed my life. He was made real to me when I was born again and filled with His Spirit in June of that year. After that I had a honeymoon experience with Him that lasted for many months and He was as close to me as any human could possibly be. But here this verse was saying that in Christ lives all the fullness of our Father. IN Christ I was accepted and loved and it is the Father’s love and acceptance I am feeling and experiencing when I fellowship with Jesus. What a wonderful relief came to me when the Spirit spoke to me through that verse.
I have known many Christians who have never had a problem with praying to God as their Father and most of them, as it turns out, had earthly fathers that were kind and loving and not emotionally distant, so the title, “father” had a positive meaning to them, as it should. I am glad that they have not always had this obstacle in their spiritual walk, and am very grateful for the love and understanding they have shown me. But for the other saints who have struggled with what the word “father” represents, I pray that you find comfort in knowing that, “ …in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son... The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly.”
May we all know Jesus as the fullness of the Father in our lives (See John 14:6-10).
A Wilderness Voice 
Dear Brother in Christ, It’s always a blessing and inspiration to read any of your personal experiences, which have deepened your love and relationship with our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. It’s very encouraging when we are reminded that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony and not loving our lives unto death. (Our testimony is vital to our overcoming.) In His Love, Tom & Lois
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Tom and Lois,
It is good to hear from you both. The things I shared here came to me all of a sudden, but a greater love and appreciation for Jesus and the Father and prayer (fellowship with them) has remained. And, yes, part of this season in my life is not loving my carnal life unto its death and loving Him and His body (the true ekklesia) even more in the process.
Love to you both IN Christ,
Michael
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In Him dwells *ALL* the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col 2:9)
And we, the ekklesia, are the *fullness of Him who filleth all in all*! (Eph 1:22,23)
God’s timing, for me. Praise Him!
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Louise, thanks for sharing this. As you know, I try and wait to publish anything until I hear from Him on both the subject and His timing. I am so glad that the Spirit has spoken to you as you needed it. Thanks for sharing these verses.
God bless you,
Michael
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What a delight to read your blog this morning. God is a Father to the orphan. I knew His fellowship as a young child. I remember telling God that I did not regret losing my earthly father before I was old enough to remember him, because I did not think I would have the close relationship with my Heavenly Father that I had – if my earthly father were living. But God has a Son and when I was above seven years old, I learned Matthew 10:32-33. I realized that I would have to confess Jesus before men to be right with God. Confessing Jesus before men was the hardest thing that I have ever done. It is also the greatest thing that I have ever done. When we have the Son, we have the Father. There is nothing greater.
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Pat, it is so good to hear from you and more about your own testimony. Your comment really touched my heart. I had to grow up without any awareness of the promises that are ours in the Bible. I didn’t even know that a person could have a personal relationship with Jesus or our Father. I am glad that you knew Him as a young girl.
I remember a preacher saying once that to grow up with a missing or distant father has forced many of us to seek out our REAL Father and find Him. It seems that this is what happened with you. For me, once I came to Jesus when I was about 23, it came easy for me to tell others about Him because He had become my best Friend in a very real way almost immediately. I still enjoy telling my Catholic relatives that they can have a relationship with Him as a friend and watch the light come on. Yes, there is nothing greater.
May He bless and keep you IN Him no matter what, dear sister.
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I know what you mean Mike—-My earthly father is so distant that I am not even sure if he is still alive or where he is—But I experience our heavenly Dad all the time !
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Kenneth, Sorry about your earthy father, but that seems to have opened up a door for you to seek out and know the our Father in heaven. Good to hear from you again.
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Michael, I was glad to hear that God gave you such a wonderful revelation of Himself! 😇
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Susanne, your own relationship with Daddy has put a hunger in me to know him the way you do and I feel that He is in the process of answering that prayer by finally seeing that to know Jesus in a personal and revelatory way is is an open door to know our Father this way as well.
You are a blessing, Susanne.
Michael
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You are a treasure, Michael! 💎
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The knowledge that Christ and the Father are one offers tremendous comfort to those who endured abuse or rejection at the hands of a parent. I know your post was a consolation to me, Michael. Thank you. ❤
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Anna, you are welcome. I am glad that my sharing what Jesus and the Father did for me in showing me the unity of their love for us was a blessing for you as well.
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Hi Michael,
As I was reading, I thought how for me how it’s harder to see Jesus as my brother, but easier for me to love and receive the love of the Father. My dad brought shame on our family by serving a prison sentence, adultry, etc. but he was a very loving father, and I was very close to him. I struggled in my relationship with my older brothers. They always fought with my dad and have had a hard life. I miss my dad. He who has been forgiven much loves much. Blessings
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Dear Bethany, as I read your comment I could feel your love for your Father. One thing that I did not share in what I wrote was that I was an only child for my first 11 years and then my little brother came along. Because of the age spread we had very little in common and I left home when he was seven. I guess that left me open to Jesus as my very real brother when He came into my heart five years later. The encouraging thing to me is that whether God reveals Himself in us as our Father or as our Brother, He does what He needs to do to show us how much He loves us. Where would we be without His love?!
Your brother IN Him,
Michael
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