“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” (John 16:33-17:1)

These are the words of Jesus to His disciples, followed by the opening of His prayer to His Heavenly Father. Jesus, the Son of God, had come to bring God to His creation, which was made in His image. He had come to reestablish our abiding relationship with God. He concluded His teaching with this truth: we can have peace because Jesus has overcome the world, specifically the sin of mankind. He then turned to talk to His Father with the prayer that God’s Glory would be revealed as the Father would glorify the Son as the Son would Glorify the Father. This would happen through the Trials, the Cross, the Resurrection and the Son’s return to the Father. This would all be done in order for mankind to have a new life and a new relationship with God where we could do as Jesus had done. We could now Pray, as Jesus taught, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10) We can call Him Father.

We can call Him Father because we are now His children. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13) This is why Jesus would tell Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3) Those who have this new life are those who have put their faith in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This new life gives us a new Father, a Heavenly Father, who is God. He is the God who created everything and who loves us so much He was willing to send Jesus.

In the Garden, when Jesus was feeling the weight of what He was about to do, cried out to God by saying, “Abba, Father, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) Here He used not only Father, but the Hebrew term for the intimate nature between a father and his son. We might use the term Dad or Daddy. Then the trust of His Father is shown on the cross as He calls out, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Here Jesus reveals to us the trustworthiness of our Heavenly Father and the intimate nature of a relationship with Him. Which is also offered to us as children of God. “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6) This was the promise of Jesus as He said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. . .. Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:16-20, 23) This relationship, between the Father and us, His children, is where we receive the peace which Jesus promised. “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15) This is the peace we receive as we pray, just as God gave peace to His Son through the trials, so He offers us this peace, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Paul knew what he was telling the Church in Philippi because, after being arrested, he and Silas had sung praises to God from jail. And from their peace the Jailor became a child of God.

On a personal note, it was as a nineteen-year-old boy that I learned the lesson of God as my Heavenly Father when my earthly father passed away. It was in those days that Jesus truly became my friend. But it was in the years after when I needed and wanted time and wisdom from my earthly father, that I received both time and wisdom from my Heavenly Father. Over these many years, God continues to be my Heavenly Father with His wisdom, compassion, and patience. As a growing child of God, I have needed all that He offers and as a child I have tested them all. In the midst of everything, He has always been faithful and caring. So, I ask you this day, is He your heavenly Father? If He is, are you trusting your Heavenly Father today?

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block