“…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:11

“….for the Father, Himself loves you because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.”  John 16:27

I struggled a little with the title of this post and almost added; “and Some Would Say Unnatural”……after the word unique.  Why?  It started with a conversation that I had with a friend of mine about my same age.  This person has grown children and they and this person felt that they had reached a point where the children were “on their own”.  This person stated to me that (and meant from a primarily parental decision and responsibility standpoint) this person’s job was done.  Now please, please understand; I don’t want to insinuate in the least that this person lacked any sense of loving or caring for their children.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Yet what it seemed that this person was expressing was some progression had happened, some point had been passed, some level of autonomy reached where the children were the, almost exclusively, ones responsible for their lives.

So I continued to think about this progression of children/offspring.  There does seem to be an aspect in nature of the sending away of offspring.  Many higher level animals either send away all offspring after a time or in some cases, only a gender, as in the males are driven off.  Even in animal societies where offspring stay with family unit, there seems to be a tension where an offspring will eventually challenge and often defeat, sometimes to the death, the parent and take their place.  There seems to be a natural progression in that sense; ” a circle of life” as it were.

I contemplated my relationship and thoughts about my two grown children.  I thought about how often I thought about them in any given day; how much I was concerned about their physical, mental and spiritual well being.  I often ponder over what is the appropriate amount of interjection, advice or involvement verses interference, growth inhibiting interaction.

If the above thoughts are natural, then what does that infer concerning our relationship with our Heavenly Father?  To answer that question, I turn, or more accurately am led, to scripture for the answer.  For I would never, as I do not have the wisdom, to comment on or make a judgement on the efficacy or appropriateness of the natural, that is to say the way of nature, process of offspring rearing.  Yet if in nature there is an appropriate time for separation and “going your own way” for offspring, does the same hold true for God?  Is there a time where He would say:  “You’ve learned enough, now go your own way.”?

First, I think it is important that we learn an aspect of the relationship we are to have with the Almighty.  For yes He is God.  Yes He is Creator.  Yes He is King.  Yes He is Master.  Yet I find that Jesus, when He spoke on earth, always used language with precision.  That is, Jesus meant what He said and was careful about how He said it.  Thus, Jesus primarily referred to God as, at time His or “My” Heavenly Father, but also many times as “your Heavenly Father”.  Again, it is clear Jesus did not throw around terms or concepts loosely.  It definitely seems that Jesus wants us to see the relationship we have with God as one where He is a Father, that is a perfect, Heavenly Father figure. Now also notice to whom, Jesus is making many of these statements.  In the first quote above from Matthew, this comes from when Christ is giving His; “Sermon on the Mount” where He is addressing primarily adult followers.  He is speaking of the, their, our Heavenly Father, giving to them what they ask of Him.  It would seem obvious that there is no age cut off or desire on our Heavenly Father’s part to see us stop coming to Him with our requests.  In the second scripture passage from John, Jesus is speaking of how much the Father has an individual and endearing love for His disciples and all who love Jesus Christ and believe that Jesus came from God.

Thus we now we come to the unique part, the “unnatural” part, if you will.  For Our Heavenly Father sees no appropriate time to “cut the apron strings” , no earthly progression for His children that would send them/us off “on our own”, no relinquishing of responsibility or desire for helping.  Understand this is not some depraved desire for over control, or a twisted plan to keep us shackled to Him, to keep us from reaching some fullest potential on our own.  No, this desire and longing for a continual, eternal parental relationship is out of the purest form of Grace and Love.  For Our Heavenly Father knows the dangers we face.  He knows there’s an incredibly powerful enemy out there along with our complete and utter inability to defeat that enemy on our own; no matter what our own opinion of our experience, strength and wisdom might be.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, in this case the “natural” is also the unique.  The natural is the continued loving relationship between our Creator God, Father in Heaven, with His creation, children.  How do we keep that relationship fresh and vibrant?
First it takes belief in the need for that relationship; that is faith.  Next, it requires a commitment of time to interact; that is prayer.  Also, it takes working on having some commonality of understanding; that is reading of scripture.  Underlying all of this, it takes love.  If you find yourself in a place this day, where you’re trying to or feel that you have left the presence of Your Father in Heaven, to go out on your own; I encourage you, I implore you to turn around and return to a loving, intimate relationship with your/our Heavenly Father.  If your in relationship with Him, work on making it deeper; work on making that relationship less independent and more interdependent.  No matter what might seem the natural way to go; Our Heavenly Father wants to have a uniquely personal, loving relationship with you, His child for now and all eternity.  How do we know?  He sacrificed His One truly begotten Son, that we might be brought into the family.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father; we are humbled and grateful, that of all the relationships You might justifiably have with us; You have chosen to be our Heavenly Father. Forgive us Most Merciful Father, when we are tempted to reject that relationship or feel that we have outgrown it and try to go and have it our own way.  Through the Holy Spirit, convict and strengthen our heart that it might lead us back to a loving, eternal relationship with You.  That in showing the world that we will always humbly submit to and follow You, our Heavenly Father; we might live, lives of praise and honor to Your Most Holy Name.  We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen