Hello, Daddy

No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you. John 14:18 (NLT)

Jesus was saying goodbye - albeit temporarily - to His disciples. Hearts filled with sorrow, the disciples tried vainly to imagine an existence without Him. Being aware of this, Jesus addressed their unspoken question  with these words, "No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you."

Today, the church has to do without the physical presence of Jesus. And sometimes, we His followers, become susceptible to the "orphan" syndrome. The Lord showed me this. We struggle with feelings of abandonment or loneliness. Sometimes, we become independent to an extreme, doing everything on our own without asking for help - even when we need help. Still others are searching, consciously or unconsciously, for a parent.

Those of us who have either lost an earthly parent (or parents) or had unsatisfactory relationships with them seem particularly affected by this syndrome. Jesus wants us to be free. How?

1. Read Romans 8:15-16, and know that we have received the spirit of adoption. In other words, WE  HAVE A FATHER.

2. Allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness (or convince us) that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD. David wrote in Psalms 27: 10, "WHEN MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER FORSAKE ME, THEN THE LORD WILL TAKE ME UP."

3. Pray as we are directed by Jesus in Matthew 6:9. This prayer begins, "Our Father" and can be done along with our regular prayers. This is helpful especially for those who have had difficulty addressing the Lord as "Father."

4. Sing to the Lord. This may seem unnecessary but do it anyhow. Music is healing.
(Suggestions: He Knows My Name - Israel Haughton or I'm Trading My Sorrows)

 My prayer for everyone who reads this is that we enter into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father who loves us so much and absolutely delights in His children!

Let's Eat!

“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine…”  John 21:12

One of the things I missed most when I went off to college was the tasty cooked-from-scratch meals my mother would serve up at home.  My mother knew this, so whenever I visited during breaks, she always had a bowl of my favorite soup ready.  We would sit and eat at the kitchen table while catching up on the latest news.  I felt so special – this moment was created just for me.  

Jesus’ disciples must have felt the same way when He appeared to them on the shores of the sea of Gallilee after His resurrection.  Tired after their fruitless toil in the night, and then hauling in the huge catch after obeying Jesus’ instructions, they gratefully accepted the invitation to join Him for breakfast.  This was one of their special moments with Him—one that they would not soon forget, but would cherish in their hearts long after His ascension.  

Yet, the moment signaled a deeper meaning than that of fellowship or food.  Jesus then commissioned them to serve Him by serving others.  They were to feed hungry people just as He had fed them. (John 21:15) 

 

We also have the privilege of dining with Jesus.  He is the Bread of life and invites us to have fellowship with Him in His word and prayer.  Sharing special moments with Him will bring us joy and satisfaction but will also give us the virtue we need to go and share the good news of the gospel with others. 

©2010 Phillippa Brown