There is much on the Father's heart, and He is eager to share with His children.
Last night, I could feel the heart of the Father, and His presence was so strong that tears began to pour out as I thought of His great love for His children.
In a moment, my mind shifted to how, oftentimes, my husband will sit with our children and have long personal conversations with them. For extended uninterrupted periods of time, their father will share with them about what's on his heart, why it's on his heart, and the plans he has for his family while the children stilly rest next to him listening.
As he shares, I can sense that his desire is for his children to be very attentive and hear his heart as he pours out his wisdom and guidance for their lives. From experience, I know that he doesn't want them to ONLY hear the words that he's sharing in that moment, but he also wants them to hear his heart - the tenderness and the desire in which he is communicating those words.
During these times, he will often pause and ask them their thoughts - how they feel about what he's sharing with them. Sometimes these exchanges include fixed gazes, moments of silence, nudges of understanding, and even shared laughs - all of which provide a deep awareness that they understand just how significant the conversation is.
Usually I can feel just how tender these moments are, and to me, they are some of the most precious moments of intimacy and exchange between my children and their father, my husband.
As I observe from a distance, my husband's expressions reveal his delight in these moments of intimacy that he's sharing with his children. Written on his face is the hopefulness that his children understand that he is sharing for their wellbeing because, as their father, he wants the best for them - he loves them.
This is the heart of a father.
This is a small glimpse of the heart of our Heavenly Father. His love is much deeper, wider, longer, and higher for us.
Our Father desires intimate moments of exchange with His children - children who are willing to fix their gaze, set their hearts, and not be distracted, even when the distractions are so real and present, because there is so much that He delights in sharing with us.
Our confidence is that we have a Father who is for us. Our hope is in every word that flows from His heart..."and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5)."
The headlines of what's going on in the world can easily distract us. Breaking news reports can cause us to lose focus. Trending stories can quickly shift the affections of our heart. The very real and personal circumstances that we face in our own lives can disrupt our gaze from God. Not to say that these cares and concerns are any less important. In fact, they matter to God because we matter to God.
Connecting with God allows Him to share with us what our attention should be given to. Knowing the Father's heart requires intentional surrendering, continual yielding, delightful desire and determination, and a constant pursuit of leaning into Him.
"Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions." Proverbs 4:25, MSG
"Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God..." 1 Chronicles 22:19
As we approach Pentecost in the upcoming days, God has specific details to share with you for the season.
Be intentional about hearing the Father's heart.
Fix Your Gaze. Set Your Heart. Be Not Distracted.