Rushwavefrom the book Why I Love God
13. God Made Me His Child
God became my heavenly Father. I became a child of God.
Before I was saved it was not possible for me to know God personally and intimately. But now, having been reconciled to Him and indwelt with His eternal life, I could experience relationship with Him. And this is another blessing I received the moment I believed: I became established in a Father-son with God. I knew Him, and He knew me. When I think about this even now, I am still overwhelmed at the glory of it all. At the moment I believed, I entered into an intimate, personal, and irrevocable relationship with God.
Communication is a vital component of any relationship. This is why the death of a loved one is always so grievous: all communication and interaction ceases when a person dies. There are no more words, gestures, or even facial expressions; there is no way to connect. But it was this vital communicative aspect of relationship that was established the moment I believed. I could not only express myself to God, but He could express Himself to Me. I could actually know – truly know – His thoughts, His mind, and His will. And there were several dimensions to this new relationship and communication; several ways I would come to relate to God.
I related to God as my heavenly Father. He would always act in a way that had my best interest in mind. He had not spared His only Son in saving me; is there anything He would not freely give me through Him? He had compassion for me, for He Himself knew my frame; He was mindful that I am but dust. He actively and unconditionally loved me; it was not something I had to earn. Yes, I could act in ways that displease Him, and in those cases He would discipline me. But even His discipline was born of a desire to produce the fruit of righteousness and restore me.
But God being my heavenly Father meant I related to Him in many other ways as well, even as an earthly father fulfills many roles.
I related to God as my Counselor. In life I encountered situations where I needed guidance. I would be uncertain which direction to go, what decision to make, or how I should frame a situation in my mind. But He guided me. The overwhelming majority of this guidance came from the scriptures, either through searching the word myself or from receiving input from other believers. Other times it would come through careful weighing of pros and cons. And yes, there were isolated occasions where He led me directly. Whatever way, He guided and counseled me.
from the book Why I Love God
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