To me God is more than just a Great Spirit or presence. I believe that he looks like man, glorified and perfect. I believe that he is the creator of my spirit and of this world. I believe he is all knowing and that he has a personal relationship with each of us that existed prior to our earthly existence. I believe that my relationship with Him is waiting to be rekindled through the way I live my life. I believe that He loves me as much as anything He has ever loved.People have asked, how do you know He loves you? How is it possible to love everyone on this earth so personally? It’s one of those mysteries of God that unveils itself beginning with the creation process. As a parent of four beautiful children of my own, I have experienced the miracle that is creation. I have also experienced the immense love that a parent has for each of his children. Each of them different. With the limited knowledge and capacity of a man I feel love beyond measure for each of them. When my first was born I was filled with this love. It consumed me. When my second daughter was born I found my capacity to love literally doubled. My capacity to love in that way has grown each time a child entered my life.
If my wife and I had continued to have children there is no doubt in my mind that my love would not be divided between each child, but rather would be multiplied tremendously. Seems impossible when you think about it, but once you've experienced the phenomenon it becomes very real.
So back to that question of how does God, our Heavenly Father, have a personal relationship with each of his children on this earth? Well, my mind is as limited as yours so it confounds me to think about, but I believe that his capacity is far greater than ours. I believe that just like my own children, his love has been multiplied by each child that he has sent to earth.I believe the personal relationship part is something that existed before we came to earth. Heavenly Father remembers us even though we do not remember Him or understand Him fully. Those of us that have sought Him out and recognized His existence and His hand in our lives have begun the process of rekindling that relationship. I believe that is why people feel so good when they first hear of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation that He has so perfectly laid out for us. It’s because our spirits recognize what is being taught as it was taught to us before while in the preexistence. It makes us feel tremendous happiness when we begin to realize what we knew to be true before our earthly state.
I believe that God wants each of His children to feel His love again as they did before they came to earth as little children. Just like an earthly parent who longs for their child to feel the love that they have long after they have grown and moved away. Parents, like our Heavenly Father, never cease in their efforts to reach out to their child no matter the difficulty or pain that may be present.
As I think of my children growing up with so many influences that are contrary to what I believe our Heavenly Father would approve of, I often feel that pain. I think of the difficulties that life has presented to my own existence and the pitfalls that have seemed too deep to climb out of. It scares me to think that my children may not be strong enough or that they will not find God in their lives.
As I have grown to know my Heavenly Father more and more I have learned some very important lessons that have helped me understand situations that I experienced with my own parents and siblings.
My parents are both believers in God and for the most part tried their best to teach us what they knew concerning Him. They taught us how to pray and showed us the importance of God’s commandments. They weren't perfect. They made mistakes like everyone does. But they were good examples of loving others.
As my siblings and I have grown we have all taken many different paths as we have chosen what and who we have wanted to become. Along the way, some of us have chosen to seek out God in our lives and others have not. I know that this is difficult for my parents and they are often burdened with the thoughts of failure. It is painful for them.Through the pain they have always maintained their love for each of their children. This love has been evident regardless of the relationship that each child has with God. It has been evident even when the relationship that my parents have with the child is weak. Their love has continued even when children have all but severed themselves away from them.
I know that type of love. My parents have always loved me. Through my ups and downs, through my good decisions and the ones that were questionable at best, my parents are always there if I need them.I have that love. I will love my children through thick and thin. I will love them as far away from me as they ever travel both physically and spiritually. I will pray for them to find the happiness that I have found in knowing my Heavenly Father. I will most certainly celebrate with them when they do.
It’s the same exact love that God feels for all of us. Like space and eternity it is hard to comprehend. It’s beyond man’s ability to understand. It’s beyond what science can prove. It can only be of God. It is within us all and it makes itself evident as we feel and share love with our parents and children.
I thank God for the glimpse of His existence and His persona shown through His love for me and for allowing me to love others as He does. I hope that I am worthy of His love and I pray that my parents and my children will always feel my love for them, and, more importantly, that they will always feel the love of their Heavenly Father.