S46P2 – A Father’s heart: revealed to his children
Matt. 11:25-27
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
They knew each other for decades and had shared many moments. Being father and son, they lived life together even if it was not lived well or happily. After decades of this relationship, the father passed away. At his memorial service, a strange thing occurred. The son found himself greeting person after person who seemed to know his father really well but whom he had never met. As he spoke with these people, they would regale about the good times they had had with the man. For the son, their stories were bittersweet because, although he found solace in knowing that his father had affected so many people in a positive way, the man they were describing was not the man he knew. He started to realize how little he knew about his father and wished that he had revealed more of himself while he had the chance.
Our human relationships are imperfect. We find ourselves regularly going over the wouldas, couldas and shouldas in our heads. We may desire that others let us in and reveal themselves to us, yet we may hold back much of who we are for reasons that are our own. Natural fathers sometimes feel the need to be an archetype and may reveal only the sides of themselves that fit that standard. Our heavenly Father, however, is not so concerned with our perception of him. He is real, and He is honest. Through his Son, He reveals to us his secrets and his character; He holds nothing back. If we want to know him as deeply as we possibly can, He invites us to do so. This is because He desires that we know him. He wants us to chase him and explore all there is to explore in him. That is why He sent his Son to make a way for us to come to him.
One of the most wonderful things about our relationship with the Father is that we can make it as close and personal as we want. He does not hold out his arm to keep us back. He does not pretend to be someone He is not. There are no pretenses with God. If we desire to truly know him, we can do that. Although we may not always understand what He is doing in our lives in the moment, He promises that one day all things will be made known to us. He wants us to approach him and learn from him so that we might walk in his ways and imitate his character and his love. Whenever we wonder anything about our Father, we need only go to him for the answer. Father, thank You that You make yourself known to us, and make us children who desire to grow in our relationship with You.