The Perfect Son Is Coming

“And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” (Joh 8:29 AV)

There are two ways in which we can apply this.  The first is to notice the Father does not leave the Son alone because He always does that which pleases the Father.  The second way, in which the Spirit desires application this morning,  is by way of encouragement.  To understand this, we need to consider another scripture verse.  “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1Jo 3:2 AV)  What Jesus Christ testifies of above, will be the same truth we will one day have the privilege to testify of as well.  There will come a day when we can say that we always do those things which please the Father.  We can hold to this truth because we shall be like He is!

Every child has a natural desire to please his or her father.  Whether we realize it or not, we want our dads to be proud of us.  We what to hear those words, “I am so proud of you!”  Even in our disobedience, there is still a part of us that wants to please our fathers.  We desire to be accepted.  We desire to be affirmed.  We desire to know that our fathers truly appreciate what we do our how hard we try.  This is every child’s desire.  When we do disappoint our fathers, we feel shame.  We feel like we have let them down.  BTW, the only way that works is if Dad regularly shows appreciation for a child’s obedience or successes and helps that child when he fails.  If all a father does is correct and criticize, the desire to please him disappears.  There were times that I knew my father was proud of me even though he didn’t say so.  One such time was during a Boy Scout weekend.  It was just he and I.  Even though I had seven other brothers, and most in the Boy Scouts, this particular weekend was only he and I.  It was Saturday morning.  We were going to the mess hall for breakfast.  Afterward, there was a swap meet where scouts from different counsels would swap patches and souvenirs.  It was overcast, cold, and drizzling outside.  We had our ponchos on.  My Dad had this Teddy Roosevelt hat that I will always remember.  We were walking together and I just had the sense my father was filled with contentment, pride, and happiness with having his son join him for something extremely important to him.  I will never forget that morning.  I will never forget the one hundred feet or so to the lodge and the outside appearance of the door.  I will never forget the forest of pine trees surrounding the entrance to the building.  I will never forget the cold damp air.  But most of all, I will never forget looking up at a man who was a foot taller who never looked me in the eye, but I could tell he was immensely pleased.

I know I don’t always please my heavenly Father.  If the truth is known, I probably seldomly do.  It would not amaze me at all if I never heard those words from my heavenly Father, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”  It would be no surprise if no rewards for me were waiting in glory.  When I fail the LORD, and that happens often, I feel shame.  I want to do that which is right, but as Paul testifies in Romans chapter seven, I do not find it within me to do so.  Like a little child who wants a pat on the shoulder because he did something right, I long for the same from my Father in glory.  To be honest, I don’t want the affirmation.  I know God loves me unconditionally.  I don’t want the recognition.  It belongs to Jesus anyway.  I just don’t want to fail Him.  Especially as often as I do.  Which brings me to the application of encouragement.  Because we will be like He is; completely sinless and unable to sin; there is coming a day when I will always do that which pleases my God and Father.  There is coming a day in glory when the old man is completely destroyed and the new man will reign forever.  I won’t possess even the desire to do the wrong thing.  Temptations will forever be gone.  What a day that will be!  I am so looking forward to the day when the guarantee of perfect is made a reality!  The day when my existence will do nothing but put an eternal smile on the face of the God who created me and saved me.  What a day that will be!