Blog 2: Our Father Providing for His Children
Please quickly read again the previous blog, and if you wish, the bible passages I referred to there.
Just as we need to talk to members of our own families, we should also feel able to talk to God as often as we like. He is our Father, and it pleases Him to hear our voice. It is natural for a child to think first of his own needs and wants, but our conversations with God should develop with experience. A baby screams until he is heard: may God teach us not to scream at Him; we should have got past that stage! The Lord Jesus teaches us about our relationship with the Father, by His own example, by parables, and by simple statements. At times when our faith is weak, someone might say “You tell me I have a Father who loves me very much, but I can’t see Him…..” Jesus’ reply to this is found in John 14 verses 7-9. It is essential reading for every Christian. As we learn more about our Father in His Word, we can grow as his children into maturity.
Now please turn to Luke Chapter 12, especially verses 4-7, 22-32. This is the focus of our study in Blog 2. It is only human for us to be frightened sometimes, and yet the Lord Jesus tells the disciples they have no need to be afraid:-
Verse 4, of murder. If even each one of our hairs is counted, then the fate of our whole living body is of huge concern to God. Remember though that the death of our body is only “going-to-sleep” to Him, because it’s the route through which we will awake in His presence.
Verse 11, of arrest. Don’t fearfully prepare your speech of defence against the charge that’s laid against you; God’s Spirit will tell you what to say when the time comes.
Verse 22, of needing food and clothing. The ravens, the lilies and even the grass have their own beauty to Him, and are the focus of His care. We, redeemed humans, on the other hand, are the pinnacle of God’s creative brilliance so he will be sure to provide for us!
The Lord’s reasoning in these pictures is remarkable: our Father knows our needs and provides for them (but not necessarily our wants) every second of the day, which relieves us of the problem of worrying about them. Therefore we can concentrate on “more important things”. Remember how God provided for the children of Israel in their journey to the Promised Land – the manna that was their food was entirely of His providing, and they weren’t to worry about the next day’s supply. But, they were responsible for collecting it, and they were responsible for following the pillar of cloud! (Exodus 16).
What then are those “more important things”? He tells us in verse 31: “But seek the Kingdom of God, and all these (other) things shall be added to you.” Seeking the Kingdom of God is a very inclusive description that Jesus used often, for the life that you lead as a christian. It began the day you first believed. We can imagine it as a journey, or as a job of work, but the best word for it is perhaps “service”. Please read Luke 2 verse 49. Mary and Joseph had lost their 12-year old son. When they did find Him, he had to remind them that actually He was God’s Son! “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”
The Lord Jesus’ life was completely devoted to His Father’s service. While it would not be possible for us to please God completely like Jesus did for those 33 years as a perfect man, we should use Him as our example to follow. Whether we are aged 12 or 92 we can serve our Father faithfully. (Our Queen is busily serving her God in these difficult days aged 93!)
The Lord here in Luke 12 uses parables to illustrate how we can serve our heavenly Father. A parable is an earthly story to illustrate a heavenly meaning. We must take great care as we read them, not to put ourselves in the place of the characters in the Lord’s story – which is not what He intended – but instead to ponder and learn the lessons from them. The stories can be violent, and that was His way to ensure the disciples should take the message in the parable very seriously. For example in the parable about the master who returns after a long absence, one servant is cut in two (v.46), and another is beaten with many stripes (v.47). This is an earthly scene, not something in the mind of God for His servants, however badly we may fail Him. Instead, there are some lessons to learn. We should be adding to our savings-account in the Bank of Heaven (v. 33). We should be busy, and ready for the Lord’s return for us (v.36). We should not be lazy or selfish (v.45), but faithful (v.42). Perhaps the most extraordinary part of one of these parables is in v.37, where there’s a role-reversal: the servants enjoy the feast and the master becomes a waiter! Did the Lord really mean that He would treat faithful Christians like that one day when they are in heaven with Him? Please read John 13 verse 3-5, where the Lord took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet. He took the place of a servant, illustrating the work of salvation he would achieve on the cross for them in a few hours’ time.
The Lord Jesus is unique. John 3 verse 16 reminds us that God “gave his only begotten Son”, or, “His one and only Son”. That uniqueness will never change, but because of His work on the cross, His Father can also become our Father. The day that Jesus rose from the grave, He gave this message for the disciples to Mary: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father….” (John 20 verse 17).This statement confirms that our close relationship with our Father is not just for now. It will continue unbroken after our life is finished on earth. There is much more in the New Testament about the future reward waiting in heaven for those who live faithful lives. Some of these passages emphasise the close oneness between Christ and His church that will one day be displayed to all creation, notably in heaven itself. Another theme is that the church is the most wonderful gift that the Father could give to the Son that He loves.
These early chapters of Luke’s Gospel are much concerned with the future Kingdom of God on earth. In a future day, Christ will indeed reign on earth, but our relationship with him is eternal, and has already begun. It is deeper, higher and greater than any earthly scene, even that future one. The christian’s inheritance (2 Corinthians 5, verse1) is permanent like a building, not temporary like a tent, “eternal in the heavens”.
I hope to explore the christian’s inheritance from our Father in Heaven in the next blog.