Assalamo aleikum (سلام وعليکم) child of GOD! Your father is the master of times and circumstances (Daniel 2:21). Tell impatience that your goal is not to start, but to finish the race. Tomorrow belongs to GOD. GOD's attention to your preparation reveals his attachment to your destiny. Like a father holding his child, GOD has his heart close to your heart and his ears close to your mouth. We are born with the potential to be champions, but we become champions through instruction, training, and perseverance.
This article is a follow-up to the previous article, When praying, let us not multiply empty words.
Good fathers
GOD is the perfect father
The relationship before the name
GOD's omniscience does not exempt us from praying
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the eathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your FATHER knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
(Matthew 6:7-8, NKJV)
1. Good fathers
There are several ways to define a father:
A man who has fathered or adopted one or more persons.
A man with recognized or delegated authority to raise one or more children, whether he has fathered them or not.
A man who is at the origin of a lineage, a discipline, a work, a concept, a current of thought, or a technique.
The founder of a movement, a company, an association, or a state.
An honorary title given to a man because of his age
An honorary title given to a man because of his contribution and commitment to a cause.
Good fathers love, protect, educate, encourage, teach, inspire, repent and rebuke (in the right way) when necessary. Good fathers manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). They are models of love and integrity. They do not idealize, they love. They acknowledge their faults and take responsibility no matter what the circumstances. They are men who leave a good legacy to their children's children. The inheritance is primarily spiritual before it is material (Psalms 112:5-6, Proverbs 10:7). The value of a father is not measured by possessions, but by faith, values, education, and the model he passes on to his children. Far more than possessions, Isaac inherited faith, blessings, and values from Abraham. This is not an excuse to mismanage his possessions (Proverbs 13:22). Good fathers do the best they can with what they know and have. No man is perfect. Good fathers are not perfect, they are good.
2. GOD is the perfect father
GOD is perfect (Matthew 5:48, Psalms 18:30, Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31). Therefore, as FATHER, He is the perfect father. He is eternally Love, Truth and Holiness. He is Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Transcendent, and Immutable. JESUS advises us not to speak vain words and reminds us that we will not be heard by dint of words. Eloquence does not impress GOD. False humility, even less so. On this subject, I wrote last week: When praying, let us not multiply empty words. Prayers do not inform GOD. He is Omniscient. He has a perfect microscopic and macroscopic view. He knows what is, what has been, what will be, and what could be. GOD knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our needs, challenges, and struggles better than we do. We have no reason to be embarrassed or afraid to ask him for anything. GOD hears the hearts and reads the minds. Let's not tell him what we don't mean, and let's not be ashamed to tell him what we do mean.
3. The relationship before the name
Long before JESUS was born, the Jewish people knew that GOD was their FATHER (Isaiah 64:8). There were already Jewish names meaning GOD is my Father or GOD is a Father. For example: the names Abija (Abiyyah), Eliab (Eliyab) and Abiel (Abiyel). The prophet Malachi said, "Have we not all one Father? Has not one GOD created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers? " (Malachi 2:10, NKJV). Moreover, some Pharisees said to JESUS, " We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, GOD." (John 8:41). In the Bible, Adam is also called the son of GOD (Luke 3:38).
Although they knew that GOD is their father, they did not have a father-son relationship with him. JESUS never said that the names and titles of GOD were abolished. GOD does not cease to be KING because he is FATHER. Intimacy is built through a relationship, not a name. I think it is better to teach people the Truth by encouraging them to build a real relationship with GOD, rather than trying to convince them to call him FATHER. I know people who call GOD "ELOHIM, EL SHADDAI, YAHVEH, JEHOVAH, ADONAI (THE CREATOR, THE ALMIGHTY, THE LORD, THE LORD)", speak in tongues, manifest spiritual gifts, and reflect CHRIST (words, characters, works). I also know some who call GOD "FATHER", but have no relationship with Him. We should not only say GODFATHER. We should do more: Love, observe, listen, respect, honor, obey, and celebrate.
The president of a republic does not stop being the president because he is a father. He is the father of his children before he is the president of the republic. As a father, he has rights, duties, and responsibilities toward his children. As a president, he also has rights and duties toward his nation. Members of a family can be on first-name terms with each other and yet have no deep relationship with each other. There are languages and cultures in which the expressions 'uncle, auntie, grandfather, and grandmother' do not exist. Except for their parents, children call adults by their respective first names. They are no less respectful of adults and older people than elsewhere. It is not wrong to use affectionate nicknames (if they are appropriate), but let us not try to set our cultures as a standard for others.
Names of GOD reveal His nature, His character, His power and His works. No one can know GOD unless GOD reveals Himself to him. GOD's names are not the result of chance. All the names of GOD find their fulfillment through the life and ministry of JESUS. Behind every name of GOD is a revelation and a testimony. Abraham said to Isaac "GOD [ELOHIM, Strong's #430, Hebrew] will provide " (Genesis 22:8). But it was after GOD provided that he called him YAHVEH - JIRED / JEHOVAH - JIRED (Genesis 22:11-14). ⇒ "Abraham called the name of this place YAHVÉ-JIRÉ. Therefore it is said today, In the mountain of the LORD [YAHVEH / YEHOVAH, Strong's #3068, Hebrew] it shall be provided for." (Genesis 22:14).
The Way Maker song, inspired by Isaiah 43:16, is a testimony of Sinach (worship leader). I sometimes call JESUS « the one who hears my heart » because so many times I have seen him intervene when I was not able to speak. The name of GOD most closely related to these experiences would be « JEHOVAH SHAMA'» (Exodus 2:24, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 34:6, Psalm 34:17). So when I say « JEHOVAH SHAMA'» I am not referring exclusively to the scriptures.
** « Shama' » (Strong's #8085, Hebrew), not to be confused with « Shammah » (Strong's #3074, Hebrew). ⇒« JEHOVAH SHAMA' » = the LORD hears vs « JEHOVAH SHAMMAH » = the LORD is here.
4. GOD's omniscience does not exempt us from praying
Being aware of GOD's love and omniscience does not exempt us from praying. The one who tells us "your FATHER knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8, NKJV), is also the one who tells us " And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22, NKJV). We are not omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, transcendent, or immutable. Only GOD can meet our needs, but nothing will be done without our commitment: Pray and obey.
En être conscients de l'amour et de l'omniscience de DIEU ne nous dispense pas de prier. Celui qui nous dit « Votre PÈRE sait de quoi vous avez besoin, avant que vous le lui demandiez. » (Matthieu 6:8, LSG), est aussi celui qui nous dit « Tout ce que vous demanderez avec foi par la prière, vous le recevrez.» (Matthieu 21:22, LSG). Nous ne sommes ni omniscients, ni omniprésents, ni omnipotents, ni transcendants, ni immuables. Seul DIEU peut combler nos besoins, mais sa volonté ne s'accomplira par sans notre engagement : Prier et obéir.
** Assalamo aleikum (سلام وعليکم) = Good morning in Urdu (Pakistan).