Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Our Father

Ellsworth Kalas said two things that really struck home with me in his “Lenten Study.” One, that Jesus wanted us to know that above all, that you and I are God’s sons and daughters; yet secondly, the term “Our Father” is for some an insuperable barrier. The explanation being that for those without fathers or abusive fathers or unworthy fathers, they might not want to think of the heavenly Father in that light.

In my mind it is a little more personal. When I pray to my Heavenly Father for guidance or the strength to deal with the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the typical day in and day out trials of tribulations of life, or to thank him for the bounty that he has blessed me or the beauty of life and the earth, I want him to be My Father, not necessarily the Father of those who have caused me hurt or pain or loss or the person who sees the glass always half empty.

I don’t want to think that the irate driver who yells obscenities out his window because he is having a bad day/life or the person who chooses to lay me off versus the younger less expensive person or the person who cuts in front of me in the check out lane has the “same” Father who supports, loves and lifts them.

Yet in that same token, the devastating earth quake in Haiti reminded all of us, we do have the same Father and he asks of us to love and help and support each other, just like he does us. Amazing that such a horrific event, could bring together mankind and cross all barriers of religion, language, culture, skin color, monetary status; yet not really, we all have the same Father.

1 comment:

  1. Carla--interesting thoughts. I never considered that I might not want to share my father, but, then again, I was an only child. I think I have thought of God as belonging to be alone in that capacity. You've given me some food for thought.

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