"I Had Learned to Call Thee Father"

"I had Learned to Call Thee Father"
By: Jacob Sok


Many a times I can recall when explaining the daily vicissitudes of my life to my blessed father, I'll hear something to effect of this kind of loving accolade being attributed to my rather eventful escapades; "Jake, you're a beautiful mess. A mess, but my mess". All said in love, I can help but feel that such a title rings true with the adventures of my day.  I love my father and neither pen nor psalm could express adequately enough, the love I have for him. I can't help but feel like a beautiful mess sometimes, and I often wonder what my Father in Heaven must think of me. I jokingly have said over the years that He must often look down on me, scratching His head at why I sometimes do what I do. However, over the years I tried to refrain from using such humorous imagery, because even though I may feel like a mess, I am as my dad would say "His".

This week I again find myself at a loss for words when trying to express what I feel in my soul, but I was reminded this week of a truth and comforted by the Spirit to know the God is our loving Heavenly Father. While reviewing passages of the New Testament, I was directed by a Professor to consider a few passages in Paul's epistle to the Romans, specifically chapter 8. What then ensued was a special simple reassurance to my soul of the beloved majesty of God.

Looking at Paul's life, we see the grand conversion of from his sincere repentance in Damascus, to the incredible refining fires of his missionary efforts; being shipwrecked, mocked, stoned, beaten, persecuted, and more. A life full of almost every kind of affliction, one would expect such a man to be bitter maybe even strict teacher. While Paul is none the less bold and direct for much of his teachings, I can not help but feel the radiance of hope from his writings in Romans 8; a type of writing that can only come from a man who has, in his afflictions, come to find such a hope.

I love the line from the hymn "Oh My Father" that reads, "I had learned to call thee Father". The lyric suggests that of a life, full of experience in which the individual has had to come to comprehend his or her, true relation to the Divine. This to me is the very fountain of hope, that Paul so tenderly campaigned in his epistle, for he had learned too, to call the Lord, Father through his sojourn.

For we read Paul's words in Romans 8, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father"(see verse 15).  It is with great reverence that, I add the commentary of former professors, explaining that "Abba" connotes a truly intimate and sacredly personal way to call someone father or dad, the very name our Savior cried out during the events of His Atoning Sacrifice. "The Spirit itself beartheth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (see verses 16-17).

I am not sure why life takes its turns, or why we must pass through moments of confusion and hardship, but this I know the more experiences I pass through, good or bad, I am learning to call God, Father. That is as Paul said, while many things wish to communicate to us to keep us captive and fearful, God has promised that The Spirit, even His Spirit, is that which touches our very spirit saying we are His children, we are His. We are His heirs, and it is not for that reason that we must suffer or feel alone, I truly feel that this life is only a supermarket sample of the glorious joys and blessings that are to come; and our afflictions and joys here are those special tools that craft us to being joint with Christ, in our heavenly home.

As we learn to call the Lord Father, we will come to see that this life is a gift, even when it seems hard. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy  to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (see verse 18).  This verse made my soul sing this week, as I have in special moments of late come to realize that He is my Father. And, while I am a mess, He loves me not because of what I have done, or despite of what I have done, He loves me because I am His.

Our beloved Prophet, President Russell M Nelson has said, "One of the most important things you ned to lean in life is to know who you are. Know that you are an elect son or daughter of God, created in His very image."   So what ever hardship or turning-point, or heck even if its just a typical Monday, I pray we call have a renewed sense of hope, of the promised glory yet to be reveled not just to us but "in us" as Paul promised. Might I just add my humble testimony to the fact that as I learn to call Him Father, I know that while am "prone to wonder" as the hymn might say, that I am His, and that says something about my worth and potential. I am still learning how to know, feel, retain, and share this hope, but in the learning processes I will encourage all to remember as Paul says, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (see verse 31). This hope I pray can begin to grow and light our everyday.

Amen.

Sources:
- Romans Chapter 8, New Testament.
-President Nelson, Twitter Comments.
- Google Imaging/ Gospel LDS Art.