Family and Friends – The Father 7.0

Family and Friends – The Father 7.0

Yesterday we discovered the depth of meaning in the concept of Hayah Jirah.  We learned, that through prayer, we have access to the Father for all our needs. The Father, through the Son, gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9–13. Most the verses of the Lord’s Prayer are focused on the Father and His Scripture. That is where we tend to deviate and get into trouble. We focus on ourselves rather than what meets the Kingdom’s plans. In the model prayer, the few words devoted to one ’s self-address the meeting of our physical, mental, and spiritual needs. The message is that once those needs are met, we need nothing else. And how they are so faithfully met! The Father has already promised to meet our physical needs in Joel 2:26, Psalms 111:5, Proverbs 13:25, and Matthew 6:25 – 33. That is why Christ says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” It has already been promised to us!

Here is The Father’s truth and reality: If your needs are already met, you can focus on simply accepting that the Scripture does not lie and you WILL be fed! If we understand the Father’s heart, we will see that He wants us to seek provision through His Kingdom, not by our own strength. The Father wants us to ask. However, He wants us to ask for what He has already promised to provide to those who love Him. The answer will always be YES! He will provide according to His riches, not ours!

I personally believe that men struggle with this principle more than women. Since the beginning of time, men have been placed in the role of family provider, which is one ordained by God but unfortunately is accompanied by a struggle. Often, men get in the habit of directing and controlling the people and workflow around them. These leadership qualities help them succeed at work, but the problems occur when they do not want to relinquish control of the rest of their lives to God. Women believers (who have learned to submit to God) do not struggle with this as much, because they have learned the hierarchy of submission already and understand the temptation referred to in Genesis 3:16.

In a normal caring family relationship, the Father is always present for you during times of trial. If you allow yourself to rely on the Father’s love, you will not experience disappointment; instead, you will gather Kingdom perspective and joy. Consider Genesis 22 again. Abraham was tested when God asked him to give up his only son, Isaac. The birth of Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah, which not given to them until they were both over 90 years old. When God asked Abraham to give up Isaac, the Bible tells us that he rose early in the morning to do so. This action reveals the depth of Abraham’s faith in the Father; he did not hesitate to comply. We should all be so faithful.

It is not entirely clear why the Father tested Abraham in this manner, though many scholars have speculated that it was because Abraham had become too focused on Isaac and was no longer actively seeking the Father’s will. This shift in focus happens to all of us. The Father, because of his true love for us, will occasionally give us a “wake-up call.” Through such occurrences, He can show us that “busyness” is not “holiness.” When you are doing good works, refrain from becoming so busy that you lose intimacy with your Provider—He who gives you everything.

Tomorrow I want to summarize what we have learned about Father God and the uniqueness of the individual. By understanding this you have a foundation for the unique relationship HE offers.

Love Dad

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *