Our God and Father

"Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever, Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." Philippians 4:20-23 NASB

 These are Paul's closing remarks in this delightful and life-changing book. There are several items to notice.

His entire thought process proceeds to the Throne of glory. His eyes remain fixed on His God and Father. I do not believe he used these terms in a rote or automatic way. They meant something very deep in him. Paul has presented to these people the thought process of his life. He always returned his gaze to his God - and his Father.

It is one thing to be "God-minded." It is yet another step into the understanding that He is our Father. Paul basked in that relationship. He knew deep within the resources of his being that his God was also his true Father. He came from Him and was returning to Him.

We all, so often, only count on our human identity. We often do not allow the Spirit to embrace us sufficiently to imprint into our beings the fact that we are first and foremost - a child of Almighty God. We have His Spiritual DNA and we are birthed as John 1:13 says, "... not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."  Our Father is the reason we exist.

This thinking completely transforms our loyalty and ability to belong. We belong together and have the same Spirit. Unity is not a question, nor is it our action. It is a reality of the new birth that we are called to preserve. (Ephesians 4:3) In this dimension of life, we often seek to "belong" somewhere. When we truly have the mind-set of the Spirit, all those questions are answered. We always belong in Him and therefore with one another. It is an emotionally settling reality, eliminating the entire concept of "belonging" in other ways.