Published December 28, 2022 15:41
Readiness for sonship is not really understood. The difference between sonship and other stages of our Christian walk are not really understood either. Some seem to think that walking as a son of God is where we have learned to do a heap of miraculous things and are able to do so repeatedly at our will. That is a misunderstanding based on seeing others flow in miracles but not understanding what the basis of that living flow really is. We like to think that this is all about learning some skills and then just doing it, but in thinking this we miss the most important basis, that of continuous relationship with our Father in Heaven.
Jesus defined the miraculous outward results as “I do what I see My Father do” and “I speak what I hear from My Father”. This places some boundaries on our approach. Sonship according to Jesus was the mature relationship with His Father that guided and directed what He did and what He said. That sounds simple, and it is in the most part. Where this gets complicated is when our will, emotions and desires intersect with this flowing relationship with our Father. There are things that we need healing from that colour or even distort our relationship, our hearing Him, or our seeing what He is doing and the way we talk with Him.
Unhealed hurts can cause us to think negatively and become judgmental. They cause us to want to control or put in order what others are doing, not doing, or saying. The conclusions we come to, that are based in faulty understandings of who we are and who He is, limit the way we receive the necessary revelation that grows us into the sons our Father designed us to be. The doorway into the Kingdom that we call salvation is a great beginning. There we accept the redemption transaction that Jesus paid for in blood and pain, the reset into His life and the beginning of real relationship with our Father. We must then journey with Him as He heals and reveals to us who He really is.
As we respond to His healing revelation of love and his healing touch to our souls, we find that we can rest from self-seeking behaviours like the need for approval, power, position and other things. We find our trust levels increasing and can receive much more from our Father as our hearing Him improves. Readiness for sonship grows, and our hearts are more and more settled in His peace. This works out through our daily life and our walk with Him becomes more and more our central existence. The four main components of sonship readiness are resting, hearing, seeing and discipling. The foundation of these components is built during our initial baby and child growth into standing (and remaining standing) hearing His voice and walking with Him.
In order to rest, and develop real trust, some things need to be dealt with. One of those is our perception that God is someone who “must be obeyed”. He doesn’t approach us in this way, so this attitude of “must obey” comes from a worldly or religious take on who our Father is. His first relational dealings with us are based in kindness and friendship. His kindness seeks to shield us from what is harmful, and in friendship He gives us really good advice that helps us if we follow it. If we don’t follow His advice, He doesn’t beat us up or tell us off. He pretty much rescues us when we ask and suggests quietly that we try again. He wants to be a friend, not a commander, not a boss and certainly not a “tyrant God” who must be obeyed. When we finally realise that, it is a great thing and sets us free from a lot of compulsion and performance focus. Then our heart can rest in a comfortable place with Him, enjoy what he shows us and go deeper into His love and kindness. There is healing there for wounded and aching souls.
What do friends do? They respond to each other’s requests and that is what Jesus is saying when He says, “you are My friends if you do what I ask of you.” We usually take that to be a commanding statement given by a “God” but what is true is that friends do what is asked because of friendship love, not as a servant, slave or soldier. Friends help each other with the tasks of life and that is Jesus’ emphasis as he seeks friendship with us. Friends work together on projects and enjoy the camaraderie as they do.
Employees just do their job, but friendship turns a task into a joy. Whatever He does say to us has weight, however, so it would be silly not to take His advice or refuse to do what he asks. However, He puts no compulsion on doing so because He values our freedom to choose and to live. Because he has these values, He rescues us when we make those mistakes and seldom says anything about it except to encourage us to take His advice more.
This is the nature of our Father, and to walk in sonship we must adjust to who He really is not what we imagine Him to be like. John 15 has a lot about all these things, especially His desire for friendship with us instead of being a lord with servants. He wants us to live in His love 24/7 and doing what He asks ensures that we do, and are not taken sideways by our will, the will of man around us, or the will of devils constantly whispered to us.
Be blessed as you cry out to know Him more
Michael