365 Ways to Know God by Elmer Towns April 28

365 Ways to Know God by Elmer Towns

(Devotional Readings on the Names of God)

April 28

THE FATHER: MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father;

but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and

your Father, and to My God and your God."'

JOHN 20:17

Jesus called on My Father and Your Father while He was on Earth. Jesus said He would ascend back to Heaven to His Father, but Mary Magdalene tried to hang on to Him with a view of keeping Him on Earth (see John 20: 17). If Mary had kept Jesus on Earth, He would not have been intimate with all believers, nor with His heavenly Father. But Jesus ascended to Heaven so that both He and the Father could indwell all believers (see John 14:21; Galatians 2:20).

Father, I need Your presence in my life. It will be difficult to make it

through this day if I don't have Your help. Let me come close to talk with

You before I go to meet the world.

God is your intimate Father, just as He is intimate with all His children who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Because the Father is God, He is omnipresent throughout His universe, which means He is equally present at all places at all times  now, in the past and in the future. Because you have come to the Father through Jesus, He can be intimate with you and with all other believers (see John 14:6). Because you have been born again by the Holy Spirit, He is your intimate Father (see 3:3-7). What do you need from Him today? He is here for you; go to Him.

You are my Father; I need You, I love You, and

I worship You for all You've done for me. I obey

Your instructions and come to You. Amen.

Reading: John 20:17-18

Key Thought: You can be as intimate with the Father as Jesus is.