The Gospel of John begins with the words: “
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” John is a brave man. If it were you, what words would you have used to convey the idea of the God the Father’s relationship with the son? Obviously, John is calling Jesus God’s Son, the eternal word. Many OT passages talk about things done by the Lord, as done by the word of the Lord. John provided clear evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, who did not come into being only when he was born here, but rather he was already eternal before he came to be born into the world that he created for us. The Father speaks through the son as the son speaks to the Father about us, which is an amazing relationship that is observed in the words of Jesus especially when Jesus told us that He speaks the words that he heard from the Father. The more we know who Jesus is, the more the light of Christ shine forth through our lives, so others can be blessed to see without stumbling. What’s fascinating about divine intimacy is Paul’ s clear distinction of before and after Christ, where the law was a disciplinarian until the time when Christ came. It means that the law was like a chaperone to us until Christ came. God is great with boundaries. the law was his way of putting guard rails. But we, humans have a knack to violate boundaries. We fall into trouble trying to go outside God's guard rails. If your father on earth was a judge, he definitely would be more merciful to you than any other person coming to him who broke the law. Judges have a book where they hand out an exact punishment worthy of the crime committed. Which one would you consider to deal with you? An impersonal judge or a beloved father? You see, your Father in Heaven will be merciful to you than a worldly judge would. In Christ, we become adopted children of God. God wants to be that personal with us, demonstrating His love for us by allowing us to become His children. When we are close to Jesus, we are close to the Father’s heart.
But we are definitely no strangers to sin and God is holy! We have a hard time letting go of attractive choices that are in opposition to God’s will and purposes. The Catholic Archbishop Fulton Sheen once preached: “
There comes a time in life when we tell ourselves, we have these impulses, we must follow our nature. Must we not? Yes, we must. Follow our nature. But our nature is not the nature of a pig. Pigs will use certain instincts according to seasons and laws implanted by nature, but we must use these instincts according to reason, and will and the final purposes of life.”
The truth is, these are lessons that are always on repeat for us. When we don’t get it, and continue in misalignment with God’s purposes, then we go through the same pain again, and again… Paul understood that before Christ, the law was there to lead us to Christ. But now that we are living in the light of Christ, we are justified by faith. We are invited to become sons and daughters of the Most-High God, so He can make us his heirs. That’s personal. That’s intimate! It doesn’t get any better than that! The furthest from Christ one gets, the less purposeful and lifegiving one becomes in this life, because without Christ we have no life within us, since Jesus is central to all creation and its redemption. I have a friend who is an artist and he drew the front of my seminary in Wisconsin. His name is written on the lower left part of the art. By signing his name, this piece of Art will always display his name: Father Tom. You are a fine great piece of art made by God our creator. You were created with a spark! God's personal signature is on you!(We all have some sort of God’s signature in our soul) Ultimately, we belong to God our creator.
The Psalmist brings out the intimacy of God’s love language: “
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds… He makes grass to grow and green plants to serve mankind. He provides food for flock and herds, He is not impressed by the might of a horse, nor pleasure in the strength of a man, but he has pleasure in those who fear him.” That sounds like divine language of intimacy that says:
Hey look, I care deeply about you! That’s why I sent the Spirit of my Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father! You are now my child, my heir. John said: “
To all who received him and believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God!” How more intimate could this ever get?"
Let us indeed cry out for this divine intimacy!
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