Father and Son always knew each other with love’s own way of knowing in the Spirit. So when the Father’s Son became one of us he always made the Father known to us as his Father. Jesus didn’t proclaim a general idea of the Fatherhood of God and then say that is my Father. No! Jesus made God known particularly as his own Father. He continually tells us that he was sent by his Father. He joyfully served his Father. In love, he always obeyed his Father even unto death on a cross. Indeed, he said he was in his Father and his Father in him.

The Father also made known that Jesus is His Son, his unique Son. We hear him saying, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” So, we don’t make God Father by becoming his children. He has always been Father of the dearly loved and unique Son. And the Father was always finding his greatest joy in this Son who was always close to his heart before anything was made.

Flowing out of this Father-Son love relationship, the Father wants a large family that shares the likeness of his Son (Romans 8:29 NRSV). So, one day Jesus will stand before his Father saying, “Here I am and the children God has given me”. We are that family of sons and daughters in union with the Son. And even now, by the Spirit, we enjoy our belonging within this circle of family love.