Sometimes it’s tough to trust after so many days of prayers and believing for something, and in the end, you didn't get answers. I really feel abandoned. I mean, you have been praying for this particular thing for years, and this is one of the basics in life. Please, sir, maybe I can get some more idea of different ways of trusting from you. ― RH (Lagos, Nigeria)QUESTION:
Trusting God (Part Five): The Heart of a Father
ANSWER:I’m I then discountenancing good works? God forbid! Good works have their place. IT IS THE NATURAL RESPONSE TO THE LOVE OF THE FATHER. IT IS NOT THE BASIS OF OUR RECEIVING FROM HIM!
We see in the story of the prodigal son when he came to himself, he said, “…MAKE ME….” (Luke 15:19) That makes all the difference between heaven and earth as it relates to good works. It is NEVER what we can do for God. It is ALWAYS what He can do with and through us as we submit our lives into His hands. GOOD WORKS is an acceptable offering before God is NEVER about the act, but ALWAYS about the HEART BEHIND THE ACT. And, IT IS NOT THE BASIS OF OUR RECEIVING FROM GOD.
So when we come to God, we come based on GRACE; we come based on His LOVE. We come as a son/daughter comes to his/her father.
So when we come to God, we come based on GRACE; we come based on His LOVE. We come as a son/daughter comes to his/her father.
(It will be foolhardy of me to assume everyone understands this relationship. Some have had ugly experiences with their natural fathers (either biological or otherwise), or men in general, while others just never had a father, they could relate with it. These tend to color our picture of God as a father. For such, I’ll employ you to take the extra step of renewing your mind in this area. Do a study of what the original place of a father ought to be. (You can synthesize this experience by meditating on the same and seeing yourself in this light). Let the truth heal your wounds and renew your mind.)
The word that is most closely related to the word father is LOVE. Take love away from the relationship, and the person is no more worthy of the name – father. A father loves – love gives. Love gives of itself, and most of all gives itself. A father gives of himself and himself. The second word most closely associated with the word/position father is COVER. A father is known by the covering he provides. A person that does not provide cover (to the best of his ability) is not worthy of the name father. He might be any other thing, but a father.
© 2015 Akin Akinbodunse
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