God gave us three spiritual treasures in his Son, Jesus. If we receive these by faith, we can give them away to others. When Jesus was transfigured before three of his disciples, they heard God the Father speak from heaven about his Son, Jesus.
While he [Peter] was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" Matthew 17:5 (NASB)
What Abba Father spoke over Jesus communicated three spiritual truths or treasures that God wants every one of his born-again children to receive. Jesus heard his Father tell him that he is loved, pleasing, and significant. Another way to put this is that Abba affirmed Jesus’ identity as a beloved son. Abba confirmed Jesus complete acceptance in that he was well-pleasing, and that he Jesus is significant and should be given heed.
Abba gave Jesus a secure sense of identity, acceptance, and significance, which all parents, especially fathers, are supposed to communicate to their own children, too.
If fathers communicate these things, it will equip their offspring to succeed in life. If they fail in this regard, it can create a void or wound that will need filling by someone or something else.
Identity
Knowing who we are is a foundation for successful living. We draw our identity from our parents, especially our fathers. We carry our parents’ DNA and are shaped by their example, words, and values. It is important for children to know that their parents “claim” them and acknowledge that they belong to them.
Too many children have absentee parents today, creating a void in their sense of identity. Abandoned children often wrongly deduce that they are unworthy of being loved, which establishes a negative identity and creates a deep wound in the heart. When a father is a poor examples of Abba, it leaves the child identifying with his bad example or trying to be not like his father. To be not something is a poor substitute for a positive identity.
When parents tell their children that they are beloved sons and daughters, it imparts the spiritual treasure that they are treasured and sets them on a solid foundation for future success.
Security
It is one thing for a parent to love a child and quite another for that parent to show delight in him or her. I have heard parents say something like the following: “I love my child, but I do not like him.” Often parents love their children in the sense that they provide for, protect, and claim them as their own, but they fail to act as if or communicate that they genuinely delight in them. Children pick up on this mixed message, and it can create a deep sense of insecurity. It may cause our child to wonder what is wrong with me that makes me so unlovable. It may signal to her that God does not delight in her either. All of us need for someone to delight in us, and, if parents fail to delight in their children, it sets the stage for us to seek for that elsewhere, making us vulnerable to those who might wish to manipulate or abuse us.
However, when we show delight in our children, we impart a second great treasure which can contribute to their being secure as they launch out into life and have to deal with others who may not be so kind.
Significance
All of us want to feel significant, too. We want to believe that we count for something or are important in some way. Abba Father told the whole world to listen to this Son, affirming his paramount importance. Every child wants to know that his parents regard him to be significant in some way. We all are important in God’s eyes; although, how we are important varies and sometimes may be obscured by our obvious defects.
The gift of encouragement is able to see by faith what is hidden beneath the surface and can assist in bringing it forth.
If we as parents are being challenged with identifying a child’s significance, we should ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us. If we communicate indifference or even negativity toward our children, it creates a wound and sets up a lie that promotes failure in many cases. Those with a more combative temperament may use such negativity as an incentive to succeed, but not from a secure position.
When we affirm our children and help them to identify their areas of significance, it will help them to succeed.
The Source of All Blessings
The Bible teaches us that God the Father is the ultimate source of every blessing.
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NLT)
Those blessings that come through people originate in him. Earthly fathers are meant to imitate Abba by allowing His blessings to flow through them.
When earthly fathers speak blessings over their children, it opens a conduit from heaven in their lives.
When earthly fathers are passive or indifferent, it can prevent the desired blessing from being passed on to their children. If earthly fathers or mothers speak curses over their children, such as “You will never amount to anything.”, it will create a wound and set up a lie that will likely be believed and acted out.
Ideally, natural fathers will bless their children and give to them the three spiritual treasures outlined above. Eventually, earthly fathers will be able to lead their children to put their faith and allegiance in Christ who will reveal the heavenly Abba to them.
The more faithfully we natural fathers imitate our heavenly Father, the easier it will be for our children to receive Abba’s love.
The more we fail to imitate Abba, the more deformed will be our children’s concept of God.
The Remedy
Whether or not we were privileged to have fathers who blessed us, the ultimate blessing always comes from Abba. He gives us all that we need in Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3 (NASB)
Even if we had terrible earthly fathers, Abba can more than make up for their failures. Jesus came to forgive us for our sins and restore us to a right relationship with Abba. Our Lord promises to reveal Abba’s heart to us. All we have to do is ask him.
No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known]. John 1:18 (AMP)
If there is a hole or wound in our soul, it is important for us to make it a priority to allow Abba Father to speak into our hearts as he did over Jesus. His words bring life, healing, and faith.
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63 (NLT)
His words to us can undo the damage created by the neglect or evil done by our natural fathers.
Abba’s words can put within us a proper sense of identity, security, and significance that will propel us into our God-given destiny.
Jesus was able to endure the hostility and attacks of his detractors because he had complete security in God. So can we with God’s help.
Prayer
Jesus, I did not receive from my earthly father all that I needed. I thank you that you died for my sins and reconciled me to my heavenly Father. I ask you to reveal our Father’s heart to me in a way that I can understand and receive. Help me to receive from him all I need to be all he wants me to be. Amen.
“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27 (NLT)
