Lately I have had a thought rolling around in my heart and mind. I have been thinking about the relationship Jesus had with the Father. Essentially, this relationship with the Father, that Jesus modeled, is the opposite of what we experience naturally. In the natural, we are 100% dependent on our parents for the first number of years and then we grow to become more and more independent, finally able to think and act fully on our own and our parents become advisors if we let them! Jesus demonstrated pretty much the opposite of that. He grew up perfectly obedient to the Father, and in His ministry only said and did what the Father told Him and showed Him to do. We could say that Jesus' ministry was 100% dependent on the Father's direction through the power of the Holy Spirit. He spent His life looking to the Father, not trying to be independent from Him.
As I think about it, our invitation to join ourselves to Christ is more like marriage is supposed to be than it is like growing up from a child to an adult. We are supposed to be constantly growing more and more in love, experiencing greater and greater intimacy, and our motivation to act comes out of a place of love and affection. We are invited into a holy union, joining ourselves to God. This is really quite a radical pursuit if we really embrace it.
Looking at some of the statements Jesus made about His relationship with the Father is helpful. He gives us a path to follow. Here are just some of the verses that relate to this theme.
John 6:28-29 NIV: "Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” [29] Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:38,46-47,63 NIV:
[38] "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me."
[46] "No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. [47] Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."
[63] "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you---they are full of the Spirit and life."
John 8:28-29 NIV:
[28] "So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. [29] The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”
John 10:37-38 NIV:
[37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
John 12:49-50 NIV:
[49] "For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
John 13:15-17,34-35 NIV:
[15] "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
[34] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Now the real question is how to move forward in pursuing that more dependent and obedient life-style? How do I make practical changes to my attention and focus, listening and hearing, in such a way that I am more consistent and intentional in being conformed to the likeness of Christ? Lord, how do I pursue hearing and obedience with the same focus you did??
I like to think that if there is a will, there is a way. In this case, if it is God's will and purpose for me to walk in deep intimacy with Him, then there must be a way available to me, that He has provided. If His desire is for me to be fully engaged, representing Him through my unity with Him, then He must make a way for me to step into and walk out this level of obedience and intimacy.
Clearly, prayer is key, as that provides the opportunity to converse. However, if you are like me, your day becomes quickly busy and full of all sorts of other concerns. That is where I need real help hearing, Lord! I am so easily distracted, and needing to give my attention to my work and business that I feel like I loose connection to the Lord, due to the noise of all that I am needing to do.
Again, looking back at the idea that our faith walk should be more like a marriage, I am never not conscious of being married to my honey. I do find that this covenant relationship definitely changes the way I think and act, which is a good thing. In the same way, my relationship with the Lord must impact my life, my words and actions. However, I want to go deeper still, pressing forward into that which Jesus descried and modelled. I do want to walk in unity and intimacy and obedience.
Lord, I am not sure how to move forward, but I know You have made a way, and I am about finding that way forward, in You! Help me to pay attention, to embrace all that You have for me and call me into. Help me to become more and more dependent and obedient in midst of all the swirl of my daily life.
Amen!
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