Wouldn’t it be a shame to have the most caring, loving father available to you, but you didn’t recognize him? Yet according to John 1:9-13, the verse states the world did not know him.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
This passage is referring to Jesus, the Son of God, but I make reference to it because Jesus told his disciples, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:7)
Even though the majority of the world did not know him or put in another way, they did not believe in Him. There is a remnant who believed and will believe — to those who fully put their trust in the Father — the ones referenced as born of God. For God granted the right to this remnant to become children of God. What exactly is the word “believe” really supposed to imply to us? An example came to mind, but it revolves around gambling, so I am asking for forgiveness in advance. In the game of Poker, you have chips representing the amount of currency you have available to wager with. If you believe you have a good hand that matches the hand of the dealer, you might just throw all your chips in the middle of the table and pronounce, “All in,” meaning, “I am betting it all.”
That’s what the word “believe” in John 1 means, “I’m all in.” According to God, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. (Matthew 22:36-40)
Why am I telling you this on Father’s Day? Acts 17:27 states that “they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”
If you desire to know your heavenly Father, He’s not far from you. The Father is ecstatic about new birth and delights in all of His children. And like earthly fathers, He only wants what is best for us and sometimes trials come our way, but He never leaves our side. You just need to seek Him out and He will reveal Himself to you. In fact, He will run towards you with open arms. Why? Because He is all in!
I’m all in, how about you?
Happy Father’ Day!
Discussions to make God known 