Reconciled

William’s Christian faith is the foundation that underpins his unique ability to listen well, offer deep compassion and lead others. From the unemployed to executives, he inspires and equips individuals and groups with his writing, coaching, and training.

William is a carpenter, communicator and sports nut. London born and bred, he’s based in Liverpool, although often on adventures elsewhere with Annika and his three children.

“All this fu**ing and no sons?”

·

This is your warning, taken from the Film: ‘The Departed’ (which explores some very provocative ideas on sonship):

The hopeful words of an older man (played by Jack Nicholson) : “You’re like a son to me”

Reply (Matt Damon) “Is that what this is all about? All this murdering and fucking… and no sons?”

Please forgive the bad language. My religious virtuosity (sanctimonious or otherwise) means that I feel very awkward as I type that word, but I believe that it’s necessary to bring repentance.

“On earth as it is in Heaven” is the prayer.

God’s heart has always been son. That there would be a creation that CHOOSES to walk in His ways, in faith. the invisible seen in the visible realm. Not because of control or the exertion of power, but out of choice, a response of love to love. An “AMEN” as deep calls out to deep. Please note, son is neither man nor female. it’s the description of a relationship. So a male can be just as much NOT a son as a female can be.

The desire to share these reflections was stimulated by a passage in Luke 20, verses 28 – 38

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife, and he is childless, that his brother is to marry the wife and raise up children for his brother. So then, there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; and the second and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. Finally the woman also died. Therefore, in the resurrection, which one’s wife does the woman become? For all seven married her.”

Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” (NASB)

Jesus must have despaired at the Sadducee’s ability to completely miss the heart of His Father here. The point isn’t about who is married to who in Heaven; Jesus says that heaven is not about marriage to each other, everyone is just complete, In Him. No, the point is sons. Here we have seven brothers, none of whom have produced a son. And a woman who hasn’t been able to bear one. The indignity, grief and shame on all of them would have been unbearable. I wonder how this could be taken by the global church of today; lots of children of God, but how many sons?

How about horses, donkeys and mules? A mule is the offspring of a horse and a donkey. One generation. The proof of the fact they they are NOT viable offspring is that they are unable to reproduce. This is why God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is also why Paul encourages Timothy to entrust his teachings to those who can teach others (2 Tim 2: 2). You walking as a son of God gives glory to our Heavenly Father, and to Jesus, the first among many brethren.

A species is defined as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. In other words, a species is a population of organisms that can successfully reproduce with each other and generate offspring that are also capable of reproduction.

I don’t know what’s worse, not having a child, or not being able to bring them to a point of sonship. The true heart of a father is to point to their child (male or female) and, as they flourish, say “This is my son, If you’ve seen them, you’ve seen me”. Not because they’re the same as you, but because in walking out their authentic life and purpose, they carry your heart, and are also able to produce sons. It has always been the cry of God’s heart; God stitched it into every living thing (Gen 1 – reproduce after your own kind) and we hear it in the last verse of the Old Testament (Mal 4:6 – the hearts of the fathers and their sons turning to one another).

  • This was God’s heart with Adam and Eve (Luke 3: 38 – Adam, son of God)
  • This was God’s heart with Israel (Exodus 4: 22 – Israel is my son)
  • This was God’s heart fully manifested in Jesus (Luke 3: 22 – You are my Son (begotten not made))
  • This is God’s heart with you (Gal 4: 5-7// Rom 8:15-17 – the Spirit testifies that we are sons of God)

How about you?

  • Are you walking in a way that glorifies your Father in Heaven, that He can say this about you?
  • Are you raising your children with the desire to see them become all God created them to be?
  • Are you serving the body of Christ to see each member attain to the full measure of the stature of Christ?

…” I am again in labour until Christ is fully formed in you” – Paul, Gal 4: 19

Or are you impotent; more concerned with behaving like a child, and who will be married to who in Heaven.

Photo by Ulrich Keutchatang : Pexels