Seeing the Father

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." (Ephesians 1:18 NASB)

Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1 is well known. He asks the Father to give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation so we may come to know who he really is. The implication of this statement is that it is only possible to fully know him by revelation from above. The Father himself gives us the revelation we need, it is not something self-generated or worked out in our mind. It is a direct revelation of the Father, given to us by the Father. 

That is amazing! He gives us what we need in order that we might know him. 

The revelation of the Father, from the Father, leads to the eyes of our heart being opened so we may know the life to which we have been called. This new life is sonship. We were chosen before the foundation of the world and predestined to receive (or to live in) the full rights of sonship (Ephesians 1:4-5). 

As we begin to know who he really is and allow him to be a Father to us we discover the journey of sonship. We discover who we really are.

Sadly, many people do not see with the eyes of their heart. They remain trapped. We see this illustrated for us in Acts 28:26-27:

GO to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them."

Hearing and seeing but not understanding because of a hardened or closed heart. When the eyes of our heart are closed we are unable to turn to him in order that we may be healed and restored. 

My encouragement today, is for you to ask the Father for that spirit of wisdom and revelation to fill your heart so you can clearly see who He really is. As you do, you will be drawn into this new life of sonship where God is a Father to you.