Father Heart Expressions

Recently, friends from Germany visited and shared a weekend with our church on finding and experiencing the Father Heart of God.  Del, one of the speakers, shared his personal story of discovering freedom from a performance based mentality by encountering God as Father.  Del was driven to excel.  Whatever he did for God he had to do better than anyone else. He never believed he was doing enough.  God was always the most pleased with more. During a period of brokenness, Del discovered God's love was unconditional and he wanted relationship with Del more than he wanted Del's labor. From that new place of rest, Del is able to help others just enjoy their heavenly Father and be more childlike and carefree. This point was emphasized throughout the weekend as the visiting presenters used various visual aids as tangible ways to listen and receive the Father's love.

We could hover under a patio umbrella, waiting for God, the Father, to fill our minds with thoughts of his goodness and touch our emotions with his gentleness. A large heart, outlined with rose petals on the floor, invited us to step into God's father heart and our guests were waiting there to pray with us or share words of encouragement.  A bowl filled with papers that had prayers written on them stood ready for it's secret messages to be withdrawn.  Christian brothers and sisters in Germany had written the prayers as though the Father was speaking to whoever would read them.  It was amazing how the prayer I randomly picked from that container held significant meaning for me and the same for the one my husband chose; it held a pertinent word to him.

There were also photographs sprawled around on the floor, mostly scenes from nature: waterfall, desert scene, close-up of flowers, animals...  As we viewed the photos we considered how our Father might be speaking to us through one of them.  Taking pen in hand we would write down the message we sensed God saying to us.

                                                      Here is the photo I chose

In that setting of opening up to the heavenly Father he spoke gently and easily into my thoughts. Here are the words that flowed from my pen:

I [Jesus] was thinking of you when I stood on the newly created moon for the first time. I knew you'd especially enjoy this soft, nightime glow.  It drew you to me in that tiny upstairs bedroom, amidst your struggles of loneliness, rejection and confusion [middle school and highschool years]. You were a joy to me because you kept reaching for me, believing in me, responding to me.  I reached back, you responded and I kept you safe, spoiled for me, forever.  I never abandoned you, nor was I ever displeased with you.  You wearied yourself, the burden became heavy, but you kept pursuing me.  I was able to use what you offered me and I had my timing in delivering you and teaching you new and greater things of my love.  Keep coming to me.  I know you will because my Spirit is drawing you.  Allow the things around you not to distract or confuse you in your devotion to me.  I will reveal more of my beauty to you: Remember I said it's time to celebrate.  Throw a party and it will become clear what you have been mourning about. [Someone else had spoken a word to me not too long before this weekend that it was a time for celebration in my life and mourning was over. I wasn't sure what the mourning referred to, but I was certainly looking forward to the celebration]
The moon reflects the sun.  I reflect the Father and you are part of that reflection.  A softness and beauty in the darkness.

(To better understand how meaningful this particular picture was to me read a blog post I had written back in February 2011.)

Another weekend activity had us up and intermingling with the other seminar participants. A sheet of paper was taped on each of our backs and we were instructed to write words on others backside stationery. The comments were to be composed as though the Father was speaking to the person. How encouraging to then detach the posterior remarks and drink in their blessing and affirmations!
                                             Here are the words that were sprawled across my back:

Hear his words to you, Child, today:  

Deuteronomy 32:9-10   

"But God himself took charge of his people, 
      took Jacob on as his personal concern. 

He found him out in the wilderness, 
      in an empty, windswept wasteland. 
He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, 
      guarding him as the apple of his eye."

Deuteronomy 33:12

"...The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."

Zephaniah 3:17
"For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

This is the Father who loves us. Let him whisper his intimacies into your ear. There is nothing you can do to change how deeply he loves you. Whether he creeps up from behind and catches you unaware, or you run with open abandon into his arms his face is full of smile and delight in YOU! Just stop and rest in that truth for awhile. Breathe him. Hear his heart beat. Cuddle close.