THE FATHER’S KISS
By Tracy Williamson
Authentic. 200 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 1 780 789 880
Having been very influenced as a young Christian by the music of Marilyn Baker, I was especially interested to read this testimony by her ministry partner, Tracy Williamson. Tracy wrote the book as a follow-up to her previous book, Encountering God.
Having experienced an abusive and damaging relationship with her stepfather as a child, Tracy Williamson writes out of a deep desire that all Christians would experience an intimate and vibrant loving relationship with their heavenly Father.
Experience centred
I was privileged to grow up in a loving Christian home with a father who led me in the things of God and continues to be a role model of unconditional love for each of his five children at the age of 80. Reading the book, and the many experiences of Tracy and her friends, caused me to thank the Lord afresh for my upbringing.
Whilst I do not doubt the sincerity of the author, nor the honesty of the testimonies, the book majored on ‘prophetic words, pictures and visions’ that helped the author and those attending their conferences and retreats to experience the father heart of God. The worship experiences, using objects and symbolic duvets to help the worshippers experience the warmth of the Father’s touch, were outside my own understanding of worship and so perhaps difficult for me to comment upon.
There is no doubt that the author has been on a deeply personal journey to ‘healing and wholeness’, having suffered greatly and been suicidal for lack of a genuine knowledge of the Lord’s love and communion. Jennifer Rees Larcombe, writing in the Foreword, says that her counselling and prayer ministry has revealed to her that many are suffering deep pain following inadequate or destructive parenting. John Ryeland, of the Christian Healing Mission, commends Tracy Williamson for her honesty in brokenness and for displaying the grace of God so clearly.
Welcome for the prodigal
Williamson based her theme on the Father’s kiss of welcome to the prodigal in Luke 15.20. The book uses poetry and songs by Baker and Williamson and each chapter has a ‘Pause and reflect’ section. These usually include a portion of Scripture to consider and such questions as: ‘Thank the Lord that he is your loving Father. Ask him to show you some things he loves about you. The key is that his words will be life-giving. If any come that are negative or belittling, you can be sure they are from the devil, not from God. Start thinking of yourself in the light of what God has shown you, speaking his truths aloud over yourself.’
I would find it difficult to recommend the book unreservedly; whilst I cannot deny that it is deeply experiential and that its author clearly loves the Lord, I was uncomfortable with its emphasis upon a rather subjective revelation. Many of the questions Williamson raises are challenging to all Christians. For example: whose voice are you listening to; do you believe that the Lord rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3 v.17); do you want to grow in your knowledge of your heavenly Father? I think my problem is more with the answers, which often major more on the prophecies than on the Scriptures quoted.
I continue to thank the Lord for the life and influence of Marilyn Baker (and Tracy Williamson) upon my own youth. Many of Marilyn Baker’s lyrics are indelibly imprinted on my memory. She was one of the heroes of my fledgling faith. Since then the Lord has led me into a different understanding of biblical worship and Christian experience, but there is no doubt that many continue to be helped by the work of the MBM Trust and that Marilyn and Tracy share a genuine vision to see lives restored through intimacy with God.
