I John 3:1-3 NKJV
[1] Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. [2] Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. [3] And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

I love the letter from John because it is all about the love of God. Written by a then old man, who came to know the love of God as a very young man, and live his life as a beloved son, in the full knowledge that he was Beloved and a Son.

It is so vital that we go through life like John did. Ever growing in this most important of realities.
The enemy – Satan, wants us to live as Spiritual Orphans, he would want nothing more than for us to be stranger from our Heavenly Father and try to do this life alone.

One of the most important things we can realise from Jesus’ life and example was that He constantly “did what he saw the Father do” and “He would only say what He heard the Father say”. Jesus lived in complete obedience to the Father. He knew He was on assignment by the Father and wanted to remain faithful to it.

We must realise that Jesus is our model, He models to us a spiritual life that we should aim for. Of course we will not live perfectly as He did. But He showed a way to live that relies on Father and Holy Spirit and not on self.

Jesus also lived in the gull revelation of His Sonship. He was on the toughest of missions, what kept Him through those times was His Father, He understood He was a Beloved Son. He would consistently retreat to quiet places to commune with Father. And no doubt to ‘behold’ the amazing ‘out of this world’ kind of love.

If Jesus needed those regular moments how much the more do we?

This text reminds us that we are not of this world and not known by this world. Its important as the heart of 1 John reguarly reminds us that we love and treasure time with the brothers and sisters we have in Christ.

It’s key that we see ourselves as brothers and sisters as the family of God. God is our Father and therefore we are refathered and placed in a new family.

We should look at the passage in Revelation 3 (also penned by John ((the beloved)) verse 20 says, behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with and he with Me.

This is a fantastic promise, that Jesus will  have a spiritual meal with us!! We just need to daily open the door. Can we hear him knocking? How reguarly have you been sitting down to eat with Jesus? It’s essential that we do, it gives us the strength to do the trials that we go through in this world. It’s important we eat slowly and fully and not just race of snacking on the go.

As a child of God, Father wants to bless us, it is a Father’s role to bless His children. I had tremendous joy in blessing my son who recently turned 13 with a big coming of age party with so many friends and family, making a fuss of him, shoeing our love for him and blessing him in to young adulthood.

The year before I took him to the Santiago Bernabau stadium in Madrid for the weekend doing a tour and even watching a game (Jude of course scored a last minute winner for us!) we spent an amazing 3 days together creating memories that will last a life time. A time to bless him.

These moments gave me so much joy as a Father, the anticipation of planning, the enjoyment of the moment, the pride and satisfaction in looking back. If I has a human father feel this how much more is our heavenly Father looking forward to bless His children.

Beold what manner of love the Father has bestowed / lavished on us!!!