The Greater One

"Jesus said He did the Father's works."

"MY FATHER is greater" is not a description of His power but His heart. To the extent Jesus would lay down His life for humanity, to the extent He would plead for the life of Judas, and forgive all who hung Him on the cross, the Father is still greater in compassion and mercy.

“For my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)

Let's settle this right here. We don't know what we're talking about. We're too revenge-minded. God says, "I am vengeance," and we crow, "Take that!" to our enemies. Sometimes we lay it on the devil, but did you know he is no longer the enemy? You heard me. He's defeated. We have authority and ability over Him through Jesus' shed blood and His gift of righteousness. Our only enemy now is death, and Jesus is no longer held by it.

People ARE NOT the enemy (Ephesians 6:12). Ever. Not to us, not to God. God the Father was willing to die for our sins, but that can't be done. So He sent Jesus. And we know the story but still we make Him hard-hearted. Jesus said He did the Father's works (John 14:10), and we read of the blind seeing, the lame walking, lepers healed, the dead raised. Then have Him turn His back on Jesus in His greatest hour of need.

But the Father is GREATER. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Jesus forgave a convicted thief and promised him Paradise. Jesus ate with sinners. How much greater is the Father's heart? What we mistake for anger is instead of being green pastures, a desert place. If you go where God is not, then you have nothing of Him to cling to. Take Israel in the Old Covenant. We hear the Father mourn over the desolation of Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s Lamentation. The prophet tells us GREAT is God's faithfulness, greater than any man's (Lamentations 3:23). Yet we focus on the destruction caused when God's covenant people broke that covenant. We don’t see His heart. Or we say, “Well, they had the right to act however they wanted!” But if you walk away from the place of blessing, there will be only cursing. They had been told this.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

The devil did the same thing. He thought incorrectly, that he could raise himself over God, and God kicked him out of His presence. Where there is no life of God, although God is in all places and His Spirit can find us even in hell (Psalm 139:8), there is no beauty, no wisdom, and no peace. Having no form or substance, having no peace, he did what we see humans do without God. There is anger and strife, bitterness and offense. People without God's nature in them, both in and out of the church, but especially out of it, destroy themselves and those around them. God is love.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

In that light, what then of the Father's vengeance? He is love and everlasting mercy. He isn't fear nor is He afraid. Those are the results of having no life of God. He isn't Zeus, ready to throw lightning bolts at people, or to give some repetitive dishonorable task. Zeus was invented by men's thinking and so there's no comparison. The Father is kindness to an extreme, but He is also what my mother calls "the broader shoulders." He is BIG and knows every person by name. He can carry the weight of men's decisions without there being any injustice.

That's what we expect of our leaders, our governments and judges—for them to make mistakes. God – Father, Son, and Spirit – make no mistakes. They make no rash impulsive judgments. Even what Satan did when he decided to exalt himself, They foresaw. Jesus was crucified from before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Man's existence was the reason for all of creation. We were made after God's likeness and in His image so that Jesus could be born of Mary and die on Calvary, and in so doing, return man to the place we are meant to be. God saw all of it in advance and no work of men or demons could keep it from happening.

But the reason for it is that the Father is the greatest in love, the gentlest in action, the most patient. The fruit of the Spirit are His divine nature, and we have been given that through Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4) to become so united to Him that we act just like Him. Instead of defending our rights, let's lay them down at Jesus' feet. Instead of voicing our complaints and brandishing the sword of the Spirit against others, let's lift up the shield of faith and defend them with peace.

"He answered, 'This type of evil is only overcome by talking with my Father.'” (Mark 9:29, Remedy)

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;” (2 Corinthians 1:3)

“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:6)

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

Image by Chil Vera from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com