I got blown away by a couple of Scriptures this week. We were talking about the relationship between Jesus and the Father in the INSTITUTE. We looked at Jesus breaking into prayer prior to raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus says, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.” (John 11:41-42 NLT)

Jesus has this tremendous relationship with the Father that spurs on prayer. We get the sense through the Gospels that Jesus at the drop of the hat talks with the Father. Their interchange was constant and ongoing. In the middle of a miracle, Jesus connects with the Father.

Then we looked at a passage a chapter later where Jesus is prepping the disciples for His death. After Palm Sunday, Jesus is teaching about true disciples: Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am…

Those are some hard verses. Some true verses. But some real rewards too. Jesus goes on…

…And if they follow me, the Father will honor them…

As Jesus is speaking the weight of the reality of “despising his life in this world” is very heavy. He knows his death is around the corner. He is talking to those gathered around him, then he breaks into prayer in the middle of this teaching moment. Look at this…

Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name.

The Father hears this precious prayer. Like Jesus said, He always hears. But something very unique happens in this communication between the Father and Jesus. The Father talks back…

…”Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus and the Father carry on a dialog…a real conversation! Out loud for others to hear in real time and real space. It was reality!

Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine…” (John 12:25-30 NLT)

This conversation was for their benefit and for ours. We so often forget that we have a real dialog with the Father and with Jesus. They always hear us and they speak to us. I’m not advocating that thundering voice from the sky each time that God speaks to us. I am reminded of the fact that we are having a real conversation with a real God in real time and in real space as we pray. What a joy for us to CONVERSE WITH GOD!

I hope you enjoy your dialog with Him today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the next…