Ukrainians say: “Na vse Bozha volya” – “For everything – God’s will.”
Everything happens according to God’s plan. As in our lives, also in Jesus’. My son asked the question: WHY did God send His Son to suffer and die? This led me further to ask why God sent His Son to be like us, to live a human life with a heart – that feels pain, a free will that causes doubt, and all the challenges that we humans face, like loss, jealousy, addictions and sicknesses.
As any good mother I told him a story explaining that just as any father, God is trying to raise good children.
A Story of The Father
At the beginning there was God. He created the angels. They had immeasurable power and strengths, and everything in excess. The angels had certain responsibilities in the Kingdom of God, but they had fun most of the time. God was their Almighty Creator, so the only thing the angels could not have, was His glory. And we all know the story of Lucifer, the most beautiful angel, who decided he was just as good as God, and that he should have glory. But as any good father, God said, “I gave you everything, and I can take it away.” And so He did. And Lucifer lost all his power and his home.
But Lucifer’s goal of glory did not die, he decided to get glory by ruining everything God creates.
So, as any good father, God tried again but after learning a valuable lesson from the Angels’ actions, He created humans, in His likeness, with a free will. They still had everything in excess – living a fun life with everything that brings joy. Since God did not want His children to loose what they had, He decided to give them some boundaries. It was actually only one boundary, one tree – to stay away from it. They lived and loved their life – not paying attention to that tree until the serpent tempted Eve with the one thing they didn’t have.
But what could the serpent temp them with, when they had everything already, and loved their lives. Lucifer, as a serpent, shared his own insecurity with Eve, and told her that “Eating from the tree of knowledge will give you God’s power and glory.” He didn’t tell her that eating the apple will for sure ban then to being serpents like he was.
As good children, they should have just prayed and talked to God. He would have explained.
So Satan ruined what God created simply by whispering into Eve’s ear. Unfortunately, Adam ignored his intuition, and followed Eve. And they lost their homes and God’s graces.
Still, God didn’t give up.
He hoped that His children would be good, like the children he imagined. He hoped they would repent and find the faith they had before the serpent confused them. This time he gave them ten rules. If they followed those basic rules, they would live good and happy lives. Unfortunately, their free will led them into different directions. They worshiped idols, lied and killed. In general, families were not strong and God’s children were not living the way He intended. He tried teaching them through messengers and influencers, who were chosen because of their faith in Him, even when their lives were filled with uncertainty.
But isn’t that what true faith is – believing that all is going to God divine plan, even when it hurts.
Still they didn’t listen. So as any good father, God tried negative reinforcement with floods and cities burning, but His children put their faith in other things, and did not trust His word, even when he spoke to them. Time past, and they suffered and sinned. After many centuries of good prophets spreading the word of a savor, God the Father sent a baby, born in a manger, not in a palace.
It is possible, God realized the discipline issue was due to him not being “fully present” in His children’s life. So he chose to be present through Jesus. Jesus was sent to be our brother and friend. Someone we could find commonalities with, since we are not God, but just humans kicked out of paradise. He was like us, our example, because he was fully capable of pure faith and love, just as God wants for all of us.
In an effort to correct any past mistakes, God decided that family might be the missing factor in raising good children. Joseph and Mary were chosen because of their faith in God – because they would raise their Son with that same faith. Jesus was not spoiled, but he had everything he needed. As a family, they had the same troubles and pain that all families have, but they never lost faith in God’s plan. Their faith guided their intuition during their life which was filled with the same challenges and joys as all humans. But Jesus was special because of his faith – as everyone, who’s life was touched by miracles, was because of their faith.
The Christmas Story tells us of Jesus Birth in a stable, with his human parents, and the animals. But he was visited by all who’s faith led them to honor the birth of their Savior.
So what is the lesson God the Father has been trying to teach us, His children, since the beginning?
To Have faith in HIM.
He is what gives us life, what makes our life worth living, and the reason we exist. He is our success, our joy, and our luck. If we consider Jesus’ life as an example for our own, we will always have enough, and in gratitude will continue to live in God’s graces.
Although we must be ready to fight temptation, and be willing to sacrifice what we love – it doesn’t necessarily mean we will have to do so. Instead, we must be willing to go the narrow road, and let ourselves be guided and led to do what God has planned for us.
Jesus is God’s Son, but again, we are ALL God’s children. And as Jesus did, so must we, in all situations – happy, sad, confused and lost – we must thank the Father for His blessings and his guidance, and follow our intuition of what to do next. But whatever we do, it must be done with love and light.
Jesus is the light of this world, and this year, 2022, it must shine extra brightly, to fill all darkness in all corners of the world.
You must spread light, fight temptations and evil, live and do everything with love – without fear or doubt, because then you will be doing God’s will.
And as any good father, He always wants the best for his His children.