Show us the Father!

The diciples wanted to see and know this Father Jesus talked about. Jesus was always talking about His Father. He was after his Fathers will..He gave them the Lords prayer.."Our father". He said "in my Fathers house are many mansions", and on and on.

Think what a seismic shift in human religious consciousness this Father concept was! The Jewish conception of God was the fiery Jehova, ruling from on high. He could be mercifull, but more likely He was distant and unapproachable and a punisher of His enemies. Of course there were hints of the Father of Jesus in the Old Testament as in the tender relationship of Abraham with God, and David's friendship with the Lord among others.

The Asian concepts of God at that time, as evidenced for example in Buddism, saw God as total consciousness and Being (true). Then there were the multitudes of other dieties worshipped around the world in many forms. There were Sun Gods, moon Gods, the Great Spirit of the North American Indian and of course the great Greek mythical Gods as in Apollo and Zooks.

All of these Gods had various hints of the Father that Jesus showed us. There was not one earthly God at the time however that was remotely like the Father of Jesus.

This Father that Jesus showed us was as powerful and omnipotent as Apollo and Jehovah yet as tender as the dearest earthly Father. Jesus, in the story of the prodigal son, shows us a Father who runs down the road to greet a wayward son who had squandered the fathers's money and disgraced Him. Instead of being angry, the father showers the delinquent with hugs and parties (and no mention of the transgression!.)

Show us the Father the diciples say and yet 2000 years later we still cannot comprehend a God/Father like this one Jesus showed us.. We still placate Him as we would a Jehovah or a Zooks. We make our little offerings (church attendance, offerings, charity work etc) to keep Him off our backs. We look for Him within ourselves through mysticism or psychology or self help books.

Yet there He stands offering everything He has, arms open and we will not recieve him. He can't figure out how to get closer to us so He gets this great idea. " I will become one of them! I will get in their skin and be born and go through all they go through including taxes and death."

"I will become a man and tell them about my self and my Fatherhood. Maybe if I drink wine with them, fish with them, go to weddings with them they will trust me! Maybe they will just drop their tired excuses ( I have to bury my mother, I have a business to run, you God, will send me to Africa) as to why they can't be close to me."

"Maybe if I die for them they will believe I am holding no sins over their head. They can come to me without shame. Even if they can't drop the shame..I will accept them and wash them and restore them."

Way to simple you think? Well He says.."look I stand at your door and knock and if you open it..we will have a meal together and talk about anything you like..anything! And whatever you tell me..I won't judge it; I won't even tell you what to do. I will just be with you. I just want you to let me in (to your life).

Way to simple.