On Being One

Ages ago when our children were toddlers, I remember a scene that repeated itself in all four of our little ones. Pam or I would be busy doing something and those little bodies would suddenly appear and ask "What are your doing?"

I remember busily washing the car and hearing Kenny, Kevin, Rachel or Rebekah say "Dad, what are you doing?" I would answer "Washing the car." They would run off to do something else and in about ten minutes run back into my presence and ask "Dad, what are you doing?" This would go on for quite awhile until they got tired or I got irritated. Sometimes one of them would say "Can I help?" Sometimes I would say "Sure!" When I said "sure" we became one.

I know the same thing was happening to Pam when the boys or the girls came running up asking as she cooked "What are you doing?"
It was comical and it was precious. I can't believe I let it irritate me! I can't believe I didn't say "sure" more often.

The children were not looking for answers. They were looking for connection. They were looking for oneness.

Our relationship to our Heavenly Father is like a child's relationship to its Father. We come running up to God and asking "What are you doing?" He tells us "I being one with you to take care of you" and we run off to soon return. We ask again and He says "I am being one with you to take care of you." We run away and return again with the same question.

Even though we do not realize it fully, what we really want from our Heavenly Father is what Jesus called "oneness" in John 17. It is connection and fellowship. Oneness is far better than answers
Oneness is what I call a barrier-free relationship and it is awesome. Author Thomas Kelly described it like this "Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return."

The Trinity now abides in me just as Jesus promised. I can continuously run into the presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit at any moment I chose and ask "What are you doing?" They will not get irritated. They will say "We are being one with you to take care of you?" Then I will ask "Can I help?" They will say over and over again "Sure, stay--abide with us"

As life moves on things change. Now our daughters and sons are busy with their own families. When I see them online or I call because I can't stand not connecting with them, I interrupt their busy lives and say "What are you doing?". I know what they are doing.
I want connection. I want oneness. It is nice that they don't get irritated when dad shows up and asks the same question over and over.

Dads want oneness, too. That is why the Trinity is in you right now.