FOR THE FATHER

 

We focused a lot on the suffering of Christ this Easter. Indeed, He suffered greatly to save us from our sins. His multi-faceted life, however, deserves a greater attention than we give it:

“Of the many magnificent purposes served in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one great aspect of that mission often goes uncelebrated. His followers did not understand it fully at the time, and many in modern Christianity do not grasp it now, but the Saviour Himself spoke of it repeatedly and emphatically.

“It is the grand truth that in all that Jesus came to say and do, including and especially in His atoning suffering and sacrifice, He was showing us who and what God, our Eternal Father, is like, how completely devoted He is to His children in every age and nation. In word and in deed Jesus was trying to reveal the make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in Heaven.” (Elder Jeffrey R Holland, “The Grandeur of God”, CR October 2003).

The Saviour showed us what the Father is like through His teachings, His example, and through His very being. When Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus answered: “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:8,9). Consider how one component of His Atonement, the resurrection, applies to this:

“Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God, dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ. If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity?” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent”, Ensign, November 2007)

This is more important than we think. There have been so many misconceptions about the nature of God, such as a belief that He is a spirit without ‘parts and passions’. The resurrection of Christ disproves that.

The most pious Orthodox Jews have never been able to ‘internalise’ God because of their perception of Him. They could never call Him “Father” as Christians do. This is because they have such profound reverence toward His holiness that they cannot speak or write His name. Even the rabbis admit they do not have a clear perception of who God really is.  (Marshall D. Isaacson, “Children of the Covenant”, p 30,123)

The Lord’s prayer alone teaches us that God is a father, and not some mystic unfathomable spirit floating in space. Consider the start of the prayer : ”Our Father, who art in heaven…..(Matthew 6:9). And then the nature of that Father: “….your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him” (v 8). This is a God who is first and foremost a Father, who cares for His children like any father would do.

This was a new concept to the Jewish population of Christ’s time. This was one of the reasons why they rejected Him. The Saviour’s so called ‘blasphemous’ declaration of Himself as the Son of God was a nail in His coffin.

The Saviour spoke of the Father incessantly throughout His ministry, among the Jews and the Nephites. The references in the holy canon are too numerous to list.

We always talk about the great suffering and sacrifice of Christ having been executed because of the Saviour’s great love for us. And it is true, He certainly loved us but the real reason He did it was to bring us to the Father. He did it for Him, more than anybody.

Have there ever been more loving words than these: “Here am I, send me! Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:2).  I think not.

The Church brings us to Christ and Christ brings us to the Father. He is the final destination in our spiritual evolvement: The Father who has created us, who has reared us, who has loved us, who sent His Beloved Son to redeem us so He can have us in His arms forever….

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Trial of Jesus by Mindi Oaten)

THE GATE

 

 

“Each evening at sundown, the shepherds bring their small flocks of sheep to a common enclosure where they are secured against the wolves that roam the deserts. A single shepherd then is employed to guard the gate until morning. Then the shepherds come to the enclosure one by one, enter therein, and call forth their sheep – by name. The sheep will not hearken unto the voice of a stranger but will leave the enclosure only in the care of their true shepherd, confident and secure because the shepherd knows their names and they know his voice.”

-        Elder John R. Lasater, “Shepherds of Israel”, Ensign, May 1988, p 74)

 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

“But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

“To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

“And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

“And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

“I am the door of the sheep.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine…..I lay down my life for the sheep.”

-        John 10:2-5,7,9,11,14,15

 

 

How grateful to know Your voice

In this world of utter despair

And hear it echo

In Your loving tender care.

 

How fiercely You watch,

How tenderly You care,

How safe You make me feel

Knowing You are ever there.

 

How grateful I am to be in Your flock,

              How grateful to be in Your keep,                  

You are my shepherd

And I am Your sheep.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Gate by Jenedy Paige)

A DUTIFUL SON

 

 

A few years ago I had a revelation, the circumstances of which are too personal to relate, in which I was led to understand that the Father loves His firstborn Son the most because of what He has done for the rest of His children. And it should be so because no one deserves it more. Since then I have been mindful of scriptural evidences of their supernal relationship. I saw it most obviously this year as I have studied the New Testament. 

 

I could quote many scriptures I have discovered where the Saviour glorified the Father, how He fulfilled all the Father commanded Him, and how He submitted to Him in all things but that is for all of us to discover for ourselves. In all these scriptural references, the message is the same: ‘in every way and every circumstance, in every situation, in every instance, in mind, body, and will, I am like the Father. If you know Me, you will know the Father, the Father and I are one’ (John 17:11). When Philip asked the Saviour to ‘show’ them the Father, Jesus replied: “…..he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father?” (John 14:8,9). Even in looks, The Saviour was like Him, in fact, He was in the express image of His Father and not His Jewish mother (Collosians 1:12-15; Hebrews 1:1-3). Since the Father is not of any nationality of this earth, Jesus did not resemble the other men of His locality and time. He was like His Father, in every sense.

 

I always hear how the Saviour atoned for us because He loved us. That is true, however, I very rarely, if ever, hear anyone say that Christ atoned for humanity because of His love for the Father. When in the Grand Council of heaven the Father asked who was willing to execute His Plan of Salvation and Satan came forward threatening His glory, it was Jesus who stepped up to the plate to defend Him, who said to the Father, not only ‘thy will be done’ but also ‘glory be thine forever’ (Moses 4:2). Christ’s greatest motivation for His sacrifice was to bring glory to the Father because with every saved and exalted child, the Father’s glory increases forever (Moses 1:39).

 

I counted one year 147 references to the Father that the Saviour made during His visit to the Americas (3 Nephi 11-28). This speaks volumes to me of their love. This tells me that the Saviour would do everything and anything, even descend into the bottomless pit of human suffering for the one He loved the most….and this He did, valiantly, selflessly, devotedly…..to honour His Father. He is a dutiful Son who does ‘ALWAYS those things that please Him’ (John 8:29). I long to be a dutiful daughter……. 

 

I wish to gift you my heart

Eternal Father of mine;

I wish to glorify Thy name

Through endless moments of time.

I wish to worship you each day that I greet,

I wish to honour you with each breath that I breathe.

Then one day soon when I kneel at your throne

And bring you my deeds from my earthly home;

Accept them with mercy,

Consider them bliss,

And greet me joyfully

With an holy kiss.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Jesus the Anointed by Greg Collins)

For further understanding of the Father and the Son relationship, I refer you to Elder Holland’s conference talk of October 2003 entitled “The Grandeur of God”.  

THE WILLING HEART OF THE SHEPHERD

 

How dear to the heart of the Shepherd

Is the flock of His sheep!

With tenderness and love

He watches over those in His keep.

How much do they love their Shepherd!

How closely they stay by His side,

With every footstep they follow

To forever with Him abide.

“….I lay down my life for the sheep…..No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of myself…” John 10:15, 18). How deeply significant is the operative word here which is ‘lay’. From God the Father, Jesus inherited the power of immortality, the power to live forever. An immortal being cannot die a natural death and neither can someone else take his life from him. As an immortal being Jesus was immune to death with the exception that He willed it and allowed it. How much this says about the Saviour who never had to experience death but willed Himself to die for the eternal welfare of us, His sheep!!! It takes the willingness to die to another level, does it not??? Cherish your beating heart, you were worth it…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art by Yongsung Kim)

(For further understanding of this concept see “Jesus the Christ” by James Talmage, p 418 and “The Mortal Messiah Book 3” by Bruce R McConkie, p 216-217)