His Glory Blog

We read the Bible and find phrases that become common Christian language, skimming over how awesome they are in application. God is described as our Heavenly Father and calls Himself Father (Abba). This isn’t some unattached, distant father that we hear about. This is Dad. The distant version of a father causes people to imagine a cold disciplinarian. They miss the truth which is the loving Dad that guides us with conviction for our good. The culture of the day calls correction oppression and rejects accountability. Seeing the truth of our Heavenly Dad should make us love correction because it means we are adopted and cherished by God. All of that being said let’s make this big concept applicable.

Imagine that you are a parent or remember when you were a kid.

In fact, when you read this imagine both sides. Put yourself in the place of parent, and then imagine again as the child. The parent tells a small child to go get dressed. The child runs off to their room and comes back with their shoes on the wrong feet, different colors and height of socks, stained pants, forgot to put on underwear,  and the shirt is inside out. The child comes back so proud of what they’ve done. It’s not the best job but the heart behind the effort is pure, it wants to please the parent. The child is delighted to share the efforts of their pure heart with the parent to see the approval. They have loved the parent in the effort and seek the loving acknowledgement in return. That is our walk with the Father. He smiles at our crazy outfit, our human effort. Just like you would smile at your child when you see their loving efforts, or you would feel so happy to show them as a child. The Bible says to seek the Father in righteousness. That’s exactly what this is. Your heart, in righteousness, is seeking God. Your heart belongs to God and you want to seek His Will. He sees your heart infinitely more than the result of the effort. He desires your pure heart set on Him, the rest is what you worry about, the irrelevant result. Let His Spirit purify your heart and let your flesh fade away. Seek His face, that smile of acceptance (given freely, not earned). Seek His righteousness, that smile of approval (already given, not earned). Seek His Will, that smile of correction (lovingly bestowed). Seek your Heavenly Dad, and that smile of never-ending perfect love (given since the beginning,  and accepted when it is retuned).

You never have to earn God. You are adopted by Him, not because you asked, but because you said yes when He asked you. The child isn’t earning love, they are returning it. This message is showing how important the proper view of God is and how that reflects in the condition of your heart. Let righteousness guide your heart’s condition as it also drives you to Dad’s embrace.

Galatians 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.