I’ve still been reading through my dad’s book, The Art of Listening Prayer. I’m on day
ten I believe. It was kind of strange going thru day five – relating to God as
your father. A lot of the basis is on our perceptions of our father. Here my
dad is suggesting his readers, in my case his son, to analyze their
relationship with their earthly father and ask God how it’s colored their
perception of Him as their father. Fortunately for me, my dad rather set me up
to understand the wonderful qualities of my Father in heaven. Thanks Dad!
The chapter this morning is titled “Getting control of your
thought life,” the scripture to meditate on is Philippians 4:8. “Whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy –
think about such things.” And the challenge is to think up specific things that
are true, noble, right, etc. and think about them. Naturally, thinking about
these things will transform our minds to the likeness of Christ.
After doing this, I thought I’d dedicate today to truth –
focusing on things that are true. Things like “He
has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love” – Song of
Songs 2:4. This is one of the verses I am speaking over myself today. He has
prepared for me a banquet that he wants me to enjoy thoroughly in this life and
he looks on me in love. He has created me so that He could love me.
One comparison comes to mind when I think of this – the
movie Babette’s Feast. The story told here can be viewed as a beautiful
allegory of Christianity. Babette, a humble servant, winds up winning the
lottery. In response to her great fortune and with her winnings, she prepares a
magnificent feast, shipping in the choicest of foods from Paris. Babette’s meticulous attention to the
preparation of the feast is not unlike our Father’s as he prepares for us the
choicest of gifts. His delight is in our enjoyment of these gifts.
One of my good friends came to me the other day and said,
“All I want to do is know God’s love for me.” I think she’s on to something
here. I think the greatest gift we can give God is realizing His love for us individually.
Oh to know God as a friend, a Father, a lover! He has set
before you a banquet and His banner over you is love! I imagine one of my
spiritual fathers, Gary Black, saying, “Go to the mirror and prophecy this over
yourself!” That might help. I’m going to look at myself in the eye and say,
“Seth, your Father has prepared for you a banquet. His banner over you is
love.” I need to replace all lies with truths like this. I challenge you to do
the same. In doing so, you more fully realize his love for you.
