The Fifth Commandment - Part 4
Dedicating One’s Life to God The Father
Submitted Thomas Stidl
Last month I wrote a three-part article called The Mystery of God. What I wrote was what God revealed to me personally on my intelligence level. This article deals with God the Father and our relationship to him. Human beings are all sons and daughters of God. Each of us has his divine spark within us. Let’s keep this in mind as we read this article.
What we know of the Father is revealed by the Jewish and Christian testaments in the bible. We know God the Father is a loving Father not wishing anyone to perish in sin. How do we know this? We know this from the prophets of the Jewish Testament that the Father greatly dislikes damning anyone to hell, but He would rather see his children turn away from their sins and be saved. “Though your sins be red as scarlet, I will make them white as snow”. He wishes to show mercy to all his children. Due to Adam and Eve, sin entered the world through Satan the devil, but the Father had a remedy for that. To satisfy his perfect nature, the remedy was someone to offer his life as a ransom for all and still be sin free. This why God the Father sent his only begotten Son into the world to redeem our sins. We observe that fact on every Good Friday commemoration.
While preaching and teaching on earth, Jesus taught us to call his Father our Father by the name of Abba. Abba basically means good and loving daddy. Some people have a hard time relating to this. Maybe your earthly Father was not the type of father you wanted or expected. Please remember that we are all human. We all make mistakes. In certain situations, I am sure that your earthly father wishes that he would have acted differently and probably would change the past if possible. This is why hindsight is always 20/20 vision. So when we call on Abba Father who wishes to lavish his children with every good gift, let us always be mindful of forgiving our earthy father of anything they might have done that was hurting to us. This also applies to mothers too.
This is why the Lord’s Prayer is so important. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and that means everyone who has ever wronged you. Also remember one more thing; please do not treat God the Father as a walking ATM machine. Please keep your requests reasonable. When we celebrate Father’s day in June, send a Happy Father’s day greeting to God the Father, and please do not wait for that one day. Thank Him every day of your life for having life.
Now that you have a clean, appreciative heart, let that heart rest in the Father. Dedicate your life to Him and fulfilling His Holy Will for your life. This will not be easy with all the temptations scattered about, but the Father will grant you the graces to succeed.
One day He may even communicate with you in a clear voice, possibly on Transfiguration Sunday with a glimmer of divine light shining through the stained glass window, “You are my beloved son/daughter, with you I AM well pleased.”
Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe. Deo Gratias. Gloria Tibi Domini. Praise be to God. See you in Paradise.