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Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Listening to the Father

Deus caritas est! “…God is love.” 1 John 4:16
As we enter this season of reflection and renewal, let’s rediscover God calling to His children, revealing His goodness, and transforming each one with Perfect Love. "This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10) ~ Donna Oswalt

 Jesus' obedience means a total, fearless listening to His loving Father... We will never understand the full meaning of Jesus' richly varied ministry unless we see how the many things are rooted in one thing: listening to the Father in the intimacy of perfect love. Henri Nouwen, Show Me The Way (p.112-113)


Time after time we find Jesus alone praying to the Father. When Jesus predicts His death on the cross to the crowd, He again seeks the Father's power. Nouwen writes, "This inexhaustible love between the Father and the Son includes and yet transcends all forms of love known to us." God is the Source of everything for Jesus, power, direction, and love. Jesus seeks the Father in all things; He listens to the Father in the intimacy of perfect love.

"Father, glorify Your name."
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." John 12:28

Jesus tells the crowd that God has spoken for your sake. There are questions and uncertainties about what it all means. Jesus wants them to understand that He is the Christ, the Messiah. He declares himself Light, calling them to believe and become sons of light. Jesus longs for those in the crowd who follow Him to become a community. Today, Jesus still desires for Believers to join together, to be an intimate community that worships and seeks the Father for all things. How do we achieve such unity and intimacy? By listening to the Father.

READ John 12:27-36

consider this!

- What did the people say when they heard a voice from heaven?

- How did Jesus describe His death? Did the people understand?

- When do I go to the Father? Do I listen for His reply?

Father of Light! You fill my darkness with fireworks of possibilities and wonders that exceed my imagination. You call me to share this light with others. I am listening more and more to Your whispers and the Spirit's promptings. I want to be obedient to Your best for me. Forgive me when I settle for good enough. Amen. -dho

All rights reserved; copyright 2017 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author;  Breathing Room For My Soul (blog)~ Follow on Twitter @soulchat

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