I love my Dad! by Doug Webb

My dad, Joseph Webb

The other day my cousin posted a picture of my dad.  It made me miss him so much.  He was such a great dad.  I tell people that my dad was like Bill Cosby.  My dad was also the assistant principal of a Junior High School and I learned he had another side to his personality.  When we would go out into public we would sometimes run into his former students.  They would all say the same thing. “Your dad was mean!”.   It would always shock me.  For one thing my dad would laugh and then the former student would laugh.  I wanted to punch them in the nose for calling my daddy “mean”!  They would later explain that my dad would “make” them go to class, do their homework, stop fighting, be respectful to the teachers, and have their parents be involved in their lives.  I thought to myself, that’s not “mean”.  My dad was trying to help you out. 

 

My other Dad is Jesus’ Dad!   To be honest I was afraid of Jesus’ Dad. You read the Old Testament and God is “mean” or so I thought.  Then I ran into this scripture.

 

John 14:7-10  (NKJV)  ⁷ “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”   ⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”  ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Jesus was saying He is just like His Father.  My first thought was “NO WAY!”.  I pictured getting to heaven, and hiding behind Jesus as I talk to the Father.  I know it sounds terrible but when I think of the God of the Old Testament, He appears pretty ruthless, stoic, and mean.

So now I was challenged to believe Jesus’ words and change my view of the Father.  I pondered this.  The Father is just like Jesus.  Then I thought some more.  Jesus is actually saying He is like His FATHER!! Whoa!!??   How could that be possible?  Jesus is the good guy.  The Father has all this wrath and anger and you expect me to believe He’s the good guy too?!  

This is why I wrote my book.  I went in search of the Father’s heart and I have been on a mission to reconcile the Old Testament Father versus the Father we see in Jesus.  So I prayed.  “Lord, help me to see You the way Jesus sees You. I want the truth.”  

The depth of our entire relationship with God hinges on how you view His heart.  It will make or break you.  Now I was in the position of my dad’s former student’s and Jesus was in my position.  My new mission was to see the Father through Jesus' eyes, not mine.   

Me and my two oldest Chris and Christina

Destiny

Most of us yearn to discover our destiny, the purpose of our existence, or how we are to leave our stamp on world history. Some go to college and find this in a career. Some discover this in ministry work. Yet countless others are shortchanged by circumstances and lack of vision, and end up incarcerated, controlled by life-destroying substances or simply a slave to economic systems.

For most of the world, destiny is defined by our deeds, culture or profession. This is okay to some degree. Our mindset is, as long as we believe that we have “realized” our earthly purpose, one day we can die in contentment. The sad part is that many die in discontentment. Their physical needs may have been met, their souls may have been satisfied, but their spirits yearned for more. These folks died without discovering their eternal purpose: to intimately know God, through Jesus Christ.

I find that our reaction to that last statement depends on our view of God. Some view God as distant, stoic, and mean. Spending eternity with this God would be hell in heaven! If you are like me and my husband Doug, whose family bible study inspired my book, Before the Beginning, you see God differently.

Chapter Three introduces the reader to the God I serve. On the Cross, Jesus called Him, Abba. Here is an excerpt:

The brilliant streak flashed before the Eyes. Reflected in the Eyes of God was every quark and atom in each galaxy. Like a giant microscope and faster than the speed of light, the Eyes fastened onto the streak and glistened with recognition. Widening with joy, the Eyes warmly welcome this son with glowing tenderness. “My son…”  The Voice of God vibrated with layers of emotion… Abba engulfed Daystar in His embrace. Daystar cherished the privilege of being His child, grasping his significance, acceptance and affirmation from the One who gave him life.

I became born again because of a fear of hell. I knew God loved me, but I believed that he disapproved of my actions more than he approved of me. A prayer ministry first introduced me to this God who is mostly glad, not mostly mad. The Song of Solomon introduced me to a God who sought after His Bride for the purpose of intimacy and enjoyment. Various Psalms showed me a God who punished His enemies but protected His kids. Finally, the Gospels revealed a God who, had a rescue plan for sinful man, and implemented this plan Himself.  Jesus Christ was a Man on a mission: to seek and save the lost from the power of sin and the consequence of eternal separation from Him. 

Is there another side of this God? To those that reject Him, yes. Chapter Fourteen in my debut novel reveals the reason and the birth of God’s justice and righteous anger. However, if you are a King’s kid, if you are redeemed, you can rest with no fear in His unearned grace. Abba wants us not to hide like Adam, but to run to Him undone like David, be restored and encouraged like the Apostle Peter, and to daily encounter Him like John, who rested his head on Jesus’ breast. Abba wants us to realize that our eternal destiny, the purpose to our existence is not a deed, but a most joyous, fulfilling, and life-giving relationship with Him.

Part 3 Knowing Him

In Part 1, I mentioned that, “an intimate relationship like a father to a son, is more powerful than the relationship between a master and a servant”. God desires more than just earthlings to work for Him. He desires intimate relationship. One of the meanings of the word “worship” is to “kiss toward”.  Worship is an affectionate response to a loving God.

Upon returning, the prodigal son told his father that he’d be content to be a servant.  He knew at least his dad’s servants ate well. This young man was probably shocked at his father’s response. “Kill the fatted calf! Celebrate! My son is back!”  The father of the prodigal son extended grace. Moreover, his father reminded him of his identity as a son and rejected his offer to be treated like a servant.  No matter what his son had done, their relationship had not changed.

Doug, who has just finished his new bible study series called Great Detective Bible Studies, commented to me:

 “I thought it was very astonishing what Jesus told Mary before he ascended into Heaven. 'I go to my Father and your Father. To My God and your God.'” Even Jesus wanted to use the title of parental relationship before using the term God. Father first! 

Before The Beginning, Chapter Three

I believe that Jesus used this parable as a picture of the heart of God, the Father towards all of us: those who have chosen to receive redemption and those who have not yet chosen. Additionally, the Father says to the not-yet-redeemed: “Satan and sin took you from Me. I sent My Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission. His mission was to pave a way for you to return to Me, your Father and your Creator.

One of my favorite quotes is from a book called, "Come To Papa" by Gary Wiens. Don't you love that title?

"I am your glory; I am the One who defines you, and the One who imparts to you all your significance.  If you will come to Me, I will lift your head again, I will raise your eyes from that bent position.  I will cause you to gaze upon Me, the One able to save you and restore you into being the person I created you to be."  p. 22  "Come to Papa" by Gary Wiens

Book Release!

http://www.amazon.com/Before-The-Beginning-ebook/dp/B00EBUKVF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375723718&sr=1-1&keywords=before+the+beginning.

Here's the link to my newly released book, Before The Beginning!  Woo Hoo!  (Coming soon on BN Nook too!)