(image from Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
While the picture above makes me laugh, ("of course it's a good idea") What a gift it is to have access to learn about and the ability to gain a clear understanding (as far as a semi-delinquent adult can have) of what the nature of Heavenly Father really is.
First - let me be clear, I like the word God to describe our Father in Heaven for the same reason others like to say Cmas instead of Christmas. But to be honest, it's just me being lazy and actually somewhat disrespectful. Especially when X replaces C. Shortening Heavenly Father's name is also a great way to forget His role in our lives - and our role and place in His existence. Talk about an overused, incorrectly used, disrespectfully used name according to Moses, OMG and all affiliated options are not going to work out in the long run for anyone.
"Heavenly Father" has a great ring to it. It encourages thoughts of Divine heir, noble birthright, son/daughter of a God, He is Perfect in every way, Perfectly capable, willing and interested in guiding me to live with Him again. Helps us believe and want to improve. Does it get better than that? No. Not that I am aware of.
Recently a surprising number of people have been complaining about how God gave them "this challenge" and that problem and how He burdened us wth X, Y or Z. I am here to ask one good question, Really?
Did Heavenly Father really do that to you? As part of the evil parent club (Matt 7:9-11) who probably would on some days want to give my annoying kid a rock instead of a fish when s/he was hungry and asked for food, I can't see our Heavenly Father being that way at all. He split the loaves and fishes and fed thousands from just a little bit. Just like a little bit of Truth shared between friends goes a long way.
I am here to propose that since Heavenly Father respects my agency, my ability to choose enough to let me learn some really painful lessons in life, even as a result of others sometimes. I also realize that He lets Satan keep his ability to choose too. Heavenly Father's Son shines on all and He respects all of us enough to let us choose for ourselves and suffer or enjoy the consequences of choosing. I believe His role in our lives is much more related to adjusting and guiding and redirecting us as lost souls trying to act like we know what we are doing, than Him being an axe wielding puppet master making life difficult so we can learn some lessons He is demanding.
I believe together without God mankind can make life difficult enough to be really miserable. (misery: humility without hope). He doesn't have to help us be ignorant, choose poorly, create awful consequences, mess up His planet. Heavenly Father's lessons make Him a Master Teacher under all conditions and circumstances, IF we are willing to listen and learn.
His is also a Divine Parent role that supports, strengthens, builds and inspires. Our role in comparison is a lot like the whining baby whose toy block is just out of reach and we are upset and crying about it. We might even poo our pants to teach someone a lesson (probably us). I think our worst hellish problem in life compared to Heavenly Father's Infinite Experience and Knowledge puts our problems into the metaphor of toy blocks and babies crying about it at best. Nevertheless, His hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 9:12, 17 & 21).
Heavenly Father respects our agency/ability to choose enough to let us pay the price of our choices and the choices of others. The Savior, Jesus Christ will equalize all things by providing Perfect Justice in the end. Things will go wrong, sometimes terribly wrong (Nazi camps, African genocide, still born deaths) but He suffers when we do. That is a part of His Divine nature. His is the Perfect big picture. Our ways are not His. And His are infinitely better.
I challenge all readers to look deep inside yourself about what your beliefs are about the nature of God, Our Eternal Father in Heaven. Mine are that He loves us more than we know. Enough to send His Only Begotten Son to suffer, bleed and die for me and you. To give us a way home and a light to show us how to find it. Enough to let us talk about Him ignorantly, even negatively, and still Love us and want us to come home to live with Him and our eternal families again. It's clear to me that I can't make God's plan fail. I clearly need Him a lot more than He needs me.
For that knowledge and witness I am grateful. Because frankly there are too many hell preaching damnation speaking leaders (that are like unmarried marriage counselors). This is a life of hope, a life of opportunity, a life of learning, a life to serve, give and grow in. Let's start today and show a greater gratitude every day. Let's show more respect and appreciation for the Almighty God, Our Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace and increase it as we become clear on His love and nature and our lives in His plan according to that Truth. We were born to succeed, together... it's not good to be alone.
Make it great today, as only you can do.
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