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Share ...
The Way to a Wonderful Life, Sunday, June 16, 2013
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"...
"OUR FATHER" ...
who art in heaven, Hallowed is thy name. Thy kingdom is come. Thy
will is done, as in heaven, so on earth." -
Words from the Lord's Prayer attributed to the Master Mind Jesus,
Matthew 6:9-10 (modified)
I
have always been sentimental about Jesus' words in the Lord's Prayer, "Our
Father" ... two
simple, yet direct words that illustrated his teaching and philosophy
that we are all One of the same Father; Creator, Intelligence, Spirit,
Source. The profound importance of these two words have never been
fully explored by religious scholars. For those who believe in the
written text of the scripture that states that Jesus was the only son of
G-d this must, I would think, be confusing and contradictory. And
for those who realize that many of the texts found in the scriptures
have been changed and rearranged and modified to "fit"
religion, may feel justified by this contradiction. Yet, however
we see it, the importance of making our relationship to G-d as personal
as our relationship to our physical fathers is very clear. In our
childhood most of us have looked to our physical fathers for guidance,
instruction and security. Healthy father-child relationships have
developed from the trust that we have assumed in our relationship to our
fathers. In the Higher Realm of Life, this physical relationship
with our father is a reflection of our relationship with Father-God.
I will always remember Dr. Bitzer
of the Hollywood Church ending his affirmations with "thank you
Father." It was as natural as if he said it to his physical
father. The mystical Ernest Holmes cautions us not to lose sight
of the warmth and personal-ness of our relationship to G-d. The
poet wrote that He is "closer to us than breathing" ... and
this was to illustrate the inseparable relationship that we have with
G-d, Infinite Spirit. Not only are we "in Him" we are a
part "of Him" ... not the "him" of human gender and
experience, but the "Him" of Spirit, Life and Truth. And
yet, we have been gifted with choice ... to choose whether to recognize
this relationship with the Father/Spirit or to deny it ... and even if
we deny it, we never are relinquished from that eternal unconditional
Love that G-d has for us all. For many, this is just too much for
their mind to grasp and believe, but it is the truth nonetheless.+
Can we say that human fathers are
intrinsically called to reflect this unconditional love for their
children? I believe so and many fathers do. But, some don't.
A friend of mine in Hollywood reminded me recently of a "Father's
Day" talk I participated in at the City of Angels Church some years
ago. I talked about an incident in my childhood when my refusal to
wear shoes and instead run through the fields bare-footed, caused me to
cut my foot severely on a piece of glass. My father took me to the
doctor and I got the proper stitches in my foot and then my father took
me to the Florsheim Shoe store and bought me a new pair of shoes that I
chose for myself. In Mexico, Missouri, Florsheim was the
Neiman-Marcus of shoe stores. So this was a luxury and a fatherly
kindness that I will always remember.
Almost immediately after my talk one of
the men in the audience came up to me and said, "well,
that may have been your experience with your father but my father was a
monster who abused me and treated me so unfairly and harshly that I
hated him then and I hate him now."
It was shocking to me to hear this, especially since he said it with
such apparent anger still present within his mind and heart about it.
But, the lesson was not lost on me and I still remember those words and
how very much those we love can hurt us. I don't know if this man
every reconciled with his father, but I know that both were damaged
emotionally and spiritually by this experience in their relationship.
It was difficult at first for me to understand why this man had held
onto these feelings. I was not in contact with him again and so I
did not have the opportunity to counsel with him about this, but I do
know that these feelings, which were so impressed upon his mind, if not
healed, would be reflected some way in his life experiences until he
healed it.
One of the greatest examples of father-son
relationships is from The Parable of the Prodigal Son that Jesus taught
to illustrate our relationship with our Father-God. It is from the
Gospel of Luke 15:11-32, and I am going to present the entire Parable as
a tribute to all the fathers in the world: "Luke 15:11 And
he said, “There was a man who had two sons.
12 And
the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of
property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between
them. 13 Not
many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey
into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless
living. 14 And
when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and
he began to be in need. 15 So
he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And
he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one
gave him anything.
17 “But
when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired
servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
18 I
will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have
sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I
am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired
servants.”’ 20 And
he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and
kissed him. 21 And
the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But
the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put
it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And
bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
24 For
this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’
And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now
his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And
he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And
he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the
fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’
28 But
he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated
him, 29 but
he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and
I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that
I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But
when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with
prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And
he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is
yours. 32 It
was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead,
and is alive; he was lost, and is found."
Celebrate
your father today. Your Father-God who created you gave you into
this life to your physical father for a sacred purpose. And
celebrate your physical father today, even if your feelings about him
are confused and uncomfortable. For those who love their fathers,
tell them that you do. And for those who don't love their fathers,
love yourself a little more ... and love G-d a little more ... and you
shall find a greater reflection within your heart of the livingness, and
the forgivingness and the givingness of G-d ... and in this, you may
find a healing of your relationship with your father here on earth.
AND
SO IT IS!
Keep
the
faith!
Rev.
Henry Bates
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Rev.
Bates Blogs:
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Click
here for Free e-books:
Prayer Is A
Powerful Thing by Rev. Bates
The
Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
All
Power to You by Dr. Robert H. Bitzer
Supreme Mastery of Fear by Dr. Joseph
Murphy
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