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Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Daily, for about seven years, before, during, and after high school, I faithfully wrote in a prayer journal. I noted which chapters I read from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Proverbs. Since writing is one of the ways in which I process the world, it seemed appropriate that I would spend an allotted time each evening discussing my day with God, my thoughts, my fears, and my questions, in written form.
Most of the time, if I specifically addressed God by name, I would simply say, “Dear God.” I later learned to call on Him as the Great Physician, Comforter, Prince of Peace, Yahweh, Savior, etc. However, during those earlier years of prayer, if I had to pick one primary title that came to mind when I would address God, it was one of Heavenly Father.
“Heavenly” because I saw Him as other-worldly. He was seated up on His throne and would listen to us, inserting an occasional intervention on behalf of a truly worthy request. I would thank Him for His wisdom through the Proverbs and lament the many who did not heed His wisdom.
“Father” was because I emphasized a greater distinction between our Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus, who came to earth to die on the cross to save us from our sins, and in whose name we pray. Finally, the Holy Spirit was the third title and one to whom I never prayed.
I now thank the Holy Spirit for interpreting my groans (Rom. 8:26) and ask Him to be my Guide, Comforter, and Reminder of Truth (John 14, 16). He is a seal guaranteeing my inheritance!
I have learned to thank Jesus for modeling obedience, for His selfless and sacrificial love, and for choosing what the world would deem unworthy followers to be His initial disciples. He is my Redeemer who ever lives and intercedes for me!
As I continued to address the Father in prayer, the meaning behind that title has evolved. My
relationship and communication with the Father have grown along with my intimacy with Him.
After returning to live in the U.S. after my years in Venezuela, I suffered extreme reverse culture shock. It was not a term that was commonly used at that time, nor was it a phenomenon I was warned about.
Walking through the aisles of the grocery store, I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of choices. I had come from a time and place in which you planned your menu based on whatever you found on the shelf that week, or what you had waited in a long line to obtain.
Navigating new relationships in a culture that felt long-forgotten, I had to explain why I knew nothing of TV shows, movies, commercials, or other “small talk” connection points. I counted down the days to my first visit back to Venezuela and the opportunity to introduce others to the reasons I might’ve been louder or culturally awkward.
A month or two after that return visit to Venezuela, life took another turn and my responsibilities doubled. Still disoriented and uncertain, I clearly remember an opportunity that was granted me to step away for a couple of days. That intentional time of prayer, reflection, Bible reading, and rest was desperately needed.
The most memorable moment from those days was when I pictured myself curled up on God’s lap, crying out my pain to Him. He was a welcoming Father who held my right hand, gently stroking my hair, as He comforted me. I was warmed by His embrace and drawn into a deeper level of trust. He could handle my grief. He could reorient my cross-cultural awkwardness. He could shoulder the weight of my added responsibilities. He would remain faithful and present. Always.
Beautifully, I knew that I could crawl back up into His lap at any time, which I did.
As my Father who loved me deeply, I could go to Him unencumbered by my hesitancy. As my Father who delighted in me, I could bound into His lap to prattle on about my greatest joys. As my Father who called me His daughter, I could hear Him whisper my name as the One who has always known me.
After that first time of picturing myself sitting in God’s lap and sloppily blubbering my heart’s deepest hurts, He truly became my Father.
If you have not been able to communicate with our Father to that level of intimacy, I invite you to start with simply entering His throne room and accepting His invitation to that depth of relationship with Him. It all starts with communication. You don’t have to know what to say. God knows your heart and doesn’t need you to speak a word.
Written by Ann Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
Every day that Jesus lived on earth, for about thirty-three years, He chose not to sin. He could have, this One who was fully man and fully God. As the writer of Hebrews says,
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin” (Heb. 4:15)
We all know the powerful pull of the flesh to be drawn into sin, whether in our minds, words, or actions. So how did Jesus do it, day after day? The following scriptures hold a key. Paul speaks of Jesus in Colossians: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17)
And then the Father asked His Son, in our desperate need, to enter this world as Philippians 2:6-8 beautifully states:
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
There is no doubt Jesus’ relationship with God in the spiritual realm built a strong foundation of love and trust that was essential when He became man. May you find some treasures that not only helped Jesus but may also help you draw closer to Father God and farther from the pull of sin.
We hear the first words from Jesus as a twelve-year-old when His parents found Him in Jerusalem’s Temple, astonishing the rabbis with His questions, answers and understanding. He said,
“Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49)
Early in His ministry around the age of thirty, Jesus called others to follow Him, that they might be with Him, learn from Him, and see Him in action. Was this God’s business, calling followers? A resounding yes! Jesus was with God when He called Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Moses and prophets such as Isaiah, to name a few. All received God’s call in different ways but were obedient, going where He called them to go even if they weren’t sure of the way, or the way was hard and full of challenges. A beautiful thing happened when Jesus said to Philip, “Follow Me” (John 1:43, NIV). Philip found Nathaniel in the same manner that Andrew had found his brother, Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. They had to share with someone; it was impossible to keep Jesus to themselves.
For Jesus, being about the Father’s business involved complete dependency on God, going where the Father wanted Him to go, doing what the Father wanted Him to do with a submissive heart. I love what He says in John 5:19-20a,
“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.”
Jesus and God had an amazing love relationship before time began; the relationship needed nurturing when Jesus walked this earth, going about His Father’s business: opening hearts of men and women through His teachings, calling others to follow Him who in turn called others to follow Jesus, and praying often to His Father with humility and submission. His ultimate obedience? The cross. His reward? Resurrection and a glorious reunion with God!
How can you nurture your relationship with God and be about His business?
