Sons and daughters of the Father

Dear friend

What would it be like to have the perfect relationship between ourselves, as the child, and Heavenly Father, as the parent? The relationship may already be there, but is it an ideal one? As with so many aspects of the gospel, the example of perfection in this regard is found in (and through) the Lord Jesus Christ.

At the point just after His greatest achievement, the Atonement, Christ announced himself to His followers in the New World; as found in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:15-17.

15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.
16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.
17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, ...

These verses give us an insight into the perfect Father/son or Father/daughter relationship. They also point the way towards achieving that blessed state. Like Jesus, we too can state our claim as children of God by virtue of Him being the Father of our spirits; although Christ's Sonship goes beyond that fundamental familial affinity. We too were with the Father in the beginning, but here's the question: are we now, at this time "in the Father" and can we sense "the Father in me"? Also, do we live our lives such that we bring glory to the name of the Father?

The way to reach that unity or "oneness" which is necessary for the Father to be in us and us in Him is to receive Jesus Christ fully into our lives, starting with believing in Him. He is the only one who has the power to elevate us to the kind of sonship or daughterhood that Christ Himself enjoys.

I feel sure the Father wishes to have the same closeness with us that He has with Jesus. And it is possible, if we seek it.

Samuel.