Artwork by Larry Van Pelt
Dwelling in the Love of our Father brings us safety, security, assurance, peace, direction, refuge, acceptance, identity, comfort, purpose and confident trust.
First we must ask ourselves, 'Do we know the Father Jesus knows: the experience of that love?' For when we receive a love like this, we are fearless, without compromise and then feeling as if we can do anything. Thus the faith statement emerges within us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When we stumble and fall, we want to get up again, because we know we will find this same Love embracing us again and again. It is our nature to find this place of rest. We were made for greatness and for a purpose; created to be loved and to give love. If we want to know why we are here and for what purpose, we can only find it in the One who made us. Obviously,we are first to discover this from our earthly father and mother...there is a break-down somewhere, for something has happened to cause the identity theft we are witnessing today! And none of our parents were perfect, nor were they meant to be perfect...for only the Father is the perfect Father and both Father and Mother to us...He is the Father to the fatherless.
Since we came out of Love, we seek Love. God is Love! God and Love are inseparable. And, He first loved us! In Him, we find our identity. In Him we live and move and have our being, for we are His offspring! (Acts 17:28) In Him is found no fear because perfect love casts out fear and He is love. Within this Love is found the true sense of family. The spirit of an orphan does not exist there. Therefore, competition, jealousy, covetousness, greed, bitterness, resentfulness and divisions will not abide there. This family is made up of true sons and daughters who honor and esteem one another and show forth the love of God. Sadly,this description of “family” is missing on the most part within our society today, even within our local churches. However, man will naturally seek a place of rest, a place of acceptance; once called home, a place of belonging.
Often the fulfillment, of this inward seeking for home, for a family for a place to belong, often finds us in a counterfeit solution of some kind. All but one, are temporary fixes and for a season may appear to be fulfilling that inward yearning we all so need fulfilled. In actuality, we are seeking to find “the relationship” for acceptance that we were made for, and end up in any number of situations through the use of counterfeits for His love. Not only have drugs and alcohol and various sexual pleasures been a part of these counterfeits, so has religion that seeks to drive us to succeed in works. We strive to be accepted one way or another; we strive to fit in. Rejection will cause us to seek the approval of man. Interestingly enough, enough was done for us at the cross; it's just hard to believe. It seems as if it is too good to be true...nonetheless, it is true! It's a win, win situation that Father did for us through Jesus the Glorious Son. Once and for all, He is the Lamb...the final Lamb that was slain for us...the price of our sins has not only been purchased for us, Jesus is The Way...to the Father, who is the destination! He restored us to Him and to be a family and that is what we are!
Abiding in Father’s Love, just as Jesus did, eliminates all the things that so easily beset us. When all else is gone, love will remain. Let us do as Jesus said and cease from our labor and live in Him, who did all that was needed for us. He did what we could not do for ourselves. Receive love and live in love, in the rest made for us. The whole earth travails and waits for the revealing of the true sons and daughters. We will be like Him! As He is, so are we, in this present world!
(A few references: Psalm 68:5, John 17:33, Romans 8:15, 18-20, 2Cor 6:18, 2Cor 13:11, Eph 1, Col 3:14, 1John 4:12, 1John 4:17-18)
Deborah Fisher
www.Hot Pursuit Ministries.com
www.FatherLovesJacksonville.com
