Guest Writer: I Recently Became a Father.

By Quintin Bowen

I recently became a father. The Lord has blessed me and my wife with a son and something that we’ve begun to notice is that it doesn’t matter what I’m doing, or what she’s doing, our son is watching me. If he catches me out of the corner of his eye, he will follow me wherever I go. Even when his focus is seemingly elsewhere, the sound of my voice will draw his attention to me. If you are at all familiar with the dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus in the Gospel of John you may have an inkling of where I am going:

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. – John 3:5-8

My son is at an age where he is completely dependent on us for his well being. He cannot speak, he cannot sit upright, and he has only now begun to smile. Every waking minute of his life up to this point has been dedicated to learning, growth, and trust. Before learning how to speak, before learning how to walk, the only learning vector available to him is observation. To be born again, to be a child again, is to return to that state of being, to watch, listen and learn from your Heavenly Father. I understand, as many have been correctly taught, that to be “born again” is to be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit, to confess your faith in Jesus, to repent of your sins and to live a life in service to Him. But what I am trying to illustrate here is that as we grow older, as we become wise in our own eyes, we risk drowning out the voice of God and surrendering ourselves to complacency. “I know what I need to do. I know God wants this for my life.”

Have you observed the Lord? Have you borne witness to His words and deeds with such attentiveness, that there is no mistaking His voice for another? Has the depth of your observation warranted such confidence?

I am confident that I can be sure of nothing in this world but the Goodness of God. Consider for naught all things gained outside of His guidance, throw to dust all things learned outside of His Will.

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” Revelation 2:1-5

The brothers and sisters of Ephesus worked hard for the Lord and endured many trials for His name. How is it then that the Lord yet holds something against them? They were confident in the work they had done in the name of the Lord, but no longer had a substantial relationship with Him. If I were to take care of every chore in my household for my wife’s sake I imagine she would be grateful, but what does it say of our relationship if I refuse to speak to her? If she offers to help me, or even correct my mistakes and I ignore her voice, does it even matter that I’m cleaning the house for her sake? The relationship is without substance. The brothers and sisters at Ephesus had become complacent with their works and knowledge taking the place of the love they had for the Lord when they were first born again.

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:2-5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Such a seemingly simple lesson. Yet I can testify that there are some who have spent weeks fasting to come to the profundity of this teaching. The challenge comes when we are called to maintain that childlike faith, to begin each and every day with humility, submitting before our Heavenly Father as a child, utterly dependent on Him for our well being. We must remember to be consistently spiritually observant.

He spoke to me thus:

“Have you ever taken your eyes off of me? To focus on the thrashing sea? The roaring winds and the waves beneath thee? While I was but a step away? Foolish heart, take heart that there will come a time when you return, where like a child your eyes will be set on me and your ears will be primed to my voice. For a time you will lack understanding and you will seek me. I will be your Father when you have been born again. As a newborn child you will learn to rely on me, and I will teach you all that you need to know.”