THE FATHER

Walking in the Light

Lifted up

Gloria Phifer

            When a friend and I are conversing about God, she will begin her part of the conversation with…:"The Father…"!  I love this. It brings "The Father" so personal.

                            "Father" has been a hard concept in my life.

            I have another friend that tells a story about her father. When she stepped into the house, after a date, (as a teenager)…the glow of her dad's cigarette shone in the darkness. He always waited up; to be sure she got home safely and on time. What dedication.

            I am happy for my friends who had a loving father. The concept was foreign to me. My biological father and mother were divorced when I was a baby. I have no remembrance of him. He died, from a heart attack, when I was 17. I was never able to find him. (Would he have wanted to be found.? That's a question that I will never have answered.)

            I had two step dads. One was very strict and in some ways abusive. The 2nd one was a kind man but he was an alcoholic. He was in and out of my life…depending on my Mother and his relationship.

            Fatherhood was something that was only a "concept". Something I had never experienced.

            At 22 yrs old, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I say "surrender" because I had to become desperate before I called out to Him. He answered…with salvation!!!

Acts 2:21…whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord (Jesus) shall be saved.

            One day, after I had a wonderful experience with the Holy Spirit, a strong, profound statement came into my mind…"Pray to your Father Who is in Heaven."

Wow!

            Jesus, my Savior, was real in my life.  The Father was a mystery to me.

 A revelation began that day:  Coming to know my Heavenly Father.

            The revealing of the Father has been a continual one for me. I did not know an earthly fathers love. I did not trust that anyone would love me enough to really care for me.

            The authority figures in my life had never loved me unconditionally. I was an unwanted child. I was at the mercy of adults who made their choices. I had no control.                                   
                                             This was my trust issue.

            A lot of years have passed at this writing. The Father is real to me. He cares. He provides for me. He is the One shining into any darkness.

            He gave me a visual lesson some years ago. (I'm a visual learner).

             I saw myself peeking around a pillar in the Throne Room. He gave me the scripture "Come boldly to the Throne of grace where you will find help in the time of need." Hebrews 4:16.

             I wasn't to peek around the corner, I was welcomed there. He wanted me there. I am His child and I belong!!! This was so amazing to me. I can run to the Father and He longs for me to come.

            The last few years He has been teaching me that He ordained my life. He saw and knew me before I was ever born. Psalm 139 has become so precious to me. He saw and loved me in my mother's womb.

             This may sound incredible to someone else. (Even though it is so personal to me, I will share it.)  I use to get depressed around my birthday. When I was praying about this: the Lord showed me the delivery room. It was full of angels rejoicing because Gloria had been born.  It was so real to me. He told me to celebrate my birth. This changed everything. The way I saw myself. The way I know He sees me.

            When it comes to prayer, He has shown me that He listens for my voice. (I love to hear my children's voices when they call or I see them.) He longs to hear our voice.

            I call Him my "Papa God."  Romans 8:15.  Speaks of Him as "Abba Father."

            He was the One that loved me so much He sent His Only Son so I (we) could have salvation. He was in Christ, reconciling me (us) to Himself. He wanted me (us) to be His child.  John 3:16. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19.

            I am still learning. He is still revealing Himself to me. How wonderful. Some day I will be with Him in glory.  I will run into His Throne Room and He will say, "Welcome home My child…welcome home to your Father God."

(I also know that when I enter the Shekinah Glory I will fall before Him. And cry Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come.  Revelation 4:8          

If you want to know what the Father is like…look at Jesus.  Right before Jesus would give His life for us; Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father. John 14. Jesus was going to prepare a place for us. Vs. 6 "I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me. If you have known Me (Jesus) you should have known My Father also…

            Jesus (The Word made flesh and dwelt among us… He is the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father…full of grace and truth… John 1:1-18) came to show us what God is like. The Father is like Jesus.

I would love to read your comments...Have you had father issues? Is Father God real to you?