Encountering God: The Father
God,
the Father
The Father's love is not distant or abstract. He speaks, He calls, He gathers His children close. Throughout history, people have encountered the Father and been forever changed by His voice, His presence, and His overwhelming love.
The Voice That Calls You by Name
God the Father has spoken directly to His people throughout history. His voice is personal, purposeful, and unmistakable.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve heard
"the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day,"
Genesis 3:8-9
and He spoke with them face to face.
The Father called to Abraham, saying,
"Leave your country, your kindred, and your father's house, and go to the land I will show you."
Genesis 12:1
Abraham obeyed the voice he heard, and it changed the course of human history.
Moses experienced perhaps the most intimate encounters with the Father. God spoke to him from the burning bush, saying, "I AM WHO I AM,"
Exodus 3:14
revealing His eternal, self-existent nature.
Later, the Lord spoke with Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."
Exodus 33:11
When Moses asked to see God's glory, the Father proclaimed His name and character:
"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and truth."
Exodus 34:6
The Voice Still Speaks Today
The Father's voice was heard at Jesus' baptism, declaring from heaven,
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:17
Again on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father spoke from the cloud:
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!"
Matthew 17:5
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Even in Jesus' final days, when He prayed,
"Father, glorify Your name,"
a voice came from heaven saying,
"I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
John 12:28
The same voice that spoke to Adam in the garden, that called Abraham to faith, that proclaimed Jesus as His beloved Son, this voice still speaks today, calling you by name.
What the Father's Voice Sounds Like
You might be wondering: how do I recognise the Father's voice?
His voice often comes as a deep knowing in your spirit, a sense of being called home. It's the voice that says, "You belong to Me. You are Mine." It carries authority but also tenderness. It convicts without condemning. It calls you higher without crushing you with shame.
The Father's voice might come through Scripture that suddenly feels personal, like it was written for you. It might come through circumstances that align too perfectly to be coincidence. It might come through other believers who speak truth you needed to hear. Or it might come in the quiet of prayer, that still small voice that settles deep in your soul.
You'll know it's Him because His voice always aligns with His character: loving, truthful, patient, and redemptive. He never contradicts Scripture. He never drives you to fear or condemnation. He always calls you towards love, holiness, and closer relationship with Him.
The Presence That Overwhelms
God's presence has been manifested in visible, tangible ways throughout Scripture.
When Moses led Israel out of Egypt,
"the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light."
Exodus 13:21
When the tabernacle was completed,
"the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle"
Exodus 40:34-35
so powerfully that Moses could not enter.
At the dedication of Solomon's temple,
"the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD"
so powerfully that
"the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."
1 Kings 8:10-11
The weight of God's presence was so real, so overwhelming, that no one could stand in it.
Isaiah encountered the Father in the temple and saw
"the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple."
Isaiah 6:1
The seraphim cried out,
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory!"
and the temple shook at their voices.
Isaiah 6:3-4
Isaiah's response was immediate and visceral:
"Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts."
Isaiah 6:5
In the presence of the Father's holiness, Isaiah saw himself clearly for the first time.
When the Father's Presence Draws Near Today
You might not see a pillar of cloud or fire, but the Father's presence is just as real today. Some people describe it as a weight in the room, a sense of being surrounded by love so pure it brings them to tears. Others feel an overwhelming awareness of His holiness that makes them acutely aware of their own brokenness, yet simultaneously aware of His grace.
His presence often comes during worship, when you're singing and suddenly you're not just singing words anymore. You're communing with Someone who is actually there. Or during prayer, when time seems to stop and you become aware that you're not alone in the room.
Sometimes His presence comes unexpectedly: in nature, when creation suddenly feels like it's declaring its Creator's glory directly to you. In silence, when you're simply sitting still and you sense Him drawing near. In community, when believers gather and there's a tangible sense that God has entered the room.
The Father's presence changes you. It comforts the broken-hearted. It convicts the rebellious. It strengthens the weary. It brings clarity to the confused. Whatever you need, His presence provides.
Dreams and Visions from the Father
The Father has used dreams to speak to His people throughout history. He gave Joseph dreams that revealed his future. Genesis 37:5-10
He spoke to Jacob in a dream at Bethel, showing him a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending, and promised,
"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go."
Genesis 28:12-15
God warned Abimelech in a dream not to touch Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Genesis 20:3
He gave Pharaoh dreams that Joseph interpreted, saving Egypt and the surrounding nations from famine.
Genesis 41:1-36
The Father spoke to Solomon in a dream, offering him whatever he desired, and when Solomon asked for wisdom, God was pleased and granted his request.
1 Kings 3:5-15
The Father Guides Through Dreams Today
In the New Testament, the Father continued guiding through dreams. He warned Joseph in a dream to take Mary as his wife, Matthew 1:20, then warned him again to flee to Egypt to protect the infant Jesus, Matthew 2:13, and later told him when it was safe to return.
Matthew 2:19-20
He warned the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod, Matthew 2:12, and warned Pilate's wife in a dream about Jesus' innocence.
Matthew 27:19
If the Father spoke to you in a dream, you're in good company. He's been speaking this way since the beginning. Dreams have always been one of His primary ways of reaching hearts that are searching, revealing truth to those who need guidance, and calling people into relationship with Him.
What Does It Mean That You Encountered the Father?
When you encounter the Father, you encounter the Source of all love. You meet the One who created you, who knows every detail of your life, who has always been pursuing you even when you didn't know it.
The Father is the one who planned your salvation. He's the one who sent Jesus to die for you. He's the one who draws you to Himself.
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him."
John 6:44
When the Father speaks to you or reveals His presence to you, He's saying: "You are Mine. You belong in My family. I want relationship with you."
Your Response to the Father
How do you respond to encountering the Father?
You come to Him as you are. You don't need to clean yourself up first. You don't need to have everything figured out. You simply come.
You call Him "Abba," which means "Papa" or "Daddy." "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"
Romans 8:15
You trust Him. You believe that He is good, that His plans for you are good, that He works all things together for your good.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
You cultivate relationship with Him through prayer, through reading His Word, through worship, through obedience. You learn to recognise His voice. You grow in your understanding of His character. You rest in His love.
The Father Is Waiting
From Eden to Sinai to the Jordan River, the Father's voice has always been personal, direct, and full of purpose. He speaks still. Will you listen?
The Father is waiting for you with open arms. He is not angry. He is not disappointed. He is filled with love, eager to welcome you, eager to speak to you, eager to show you the path He has prepared.
You are His beloved child. Let that truth transform everything.
Scripture quotations are from the Berean Bible (www.bereanbible.com), Copyright © 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub. All rights reserved worldwide.Used by permission under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
