God, the Father

Have you ever had one of those days where you have to accomplish so much that you slowly begin to disconnect from the heart of God? You become so entangled with your busy schedule that when you do spend time with the Lord, it feels rushed or half-hearted?  I can honestly admit that today was one of those days for me. As I went along with my normal routine, I began to feel religious. After all the laundry, cleaning, work, and other ministerial duties, I felt like the time I did spend with the Lord was more ritualistic than it was a relationship. I had to stop and examine my heart.

Daily, life has a way of quickly consuming our hearts and minds. As believers, we have to put God first everyday of our lives. Before school, work, and even habitual morning showers! If your relationship with the Lord starts to feel religious, stop what you’re doing and quiet your spirit. Listen to His voice! God will perfect EVERY concern we have. (Psalm 138:8) This even includes our daily lengthy “to do” lists. Anxiety, stress, worries, and doubt can easily creep into our spirits. Therefore, it’s extremely important we put Him first in our day. We can get the comfort we need in the morning that will last us for the rest of the day. Or that ONE scripture you read in the morning could be the breakthrough word you need later on that day. It is essential we spend time with Him, just because we desire it and not out of religious obligation. 

We are sons and daughters along with Christ according to Ephesians 1:5. Jesus constantly spoke about His FATHER, not His GOD. It is clear Christ was giving us a picture of how we should view the Father. If we view Him as some mystical “god” off in Heaven, we have lost. This keeps us in religious bondage, only desiring to please God with our works. Such as, showing God how many scriptures we can recite. Or telling Him how many times we go to church, as if He is in Heaven with a chalkboard checking off each time we attend church. God is our Father! End of story. We can’t show Him our love by our works.  A son or daughter doesn’t show their parents love by their works. They show it by spending quality time with them. When we ONLY look at the Lord as a distant mystical God, we will continue to show Him our religious works. However, when we view Him as our Father, our religious ways will no longer be a factor because the relationship will be the core, not our works. This understanding of Sonship will further help you prioritize life around the Father instead of the opposite way around.

Believer, if you struggle to make time for the Lord, you are not alone. You are most likely finding it difficult because you have yet to TRULY view Him as a loving Father. When you become more invested in your “to do” lists instead of quality time with the Father, examine your heart. Even Believers who have walked with Christ for years, oftentimes get to this point. Not one man or woman is perfect; even the person writing this post. Today, I had to remind myself that God is my Father. Every day, bring yourself into remembrance of your relationship with the Father. Begin by simply putting Him first in your day. It’s as simple as waking up and just telling the Lord, “I love you.” Acknowledge His presence. Communicate with Him throughout the day. Ask yourself questions like, “Have I been viewing God as my Father today?” Yes, our God is a great God who put the Earth into motion, but He is also a loving and caring Father. When you view Him like this, making time in your schedule becomes easier and more genuine. 

"I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends: because all things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you." -John 15:15