Blog # 64 OUR FATHER

Blog # 64 OUR FATHER Regularly when I pray I find myself thinking about the fatherhood of God in new ways. I ask such questions as what did Jesus mean when He spoke of God as our Father? How can I discover more deeply and meaningfully the truth contained in the statement of Jesus that God is our Father? What does it mean to me personally to imagine God as my Father rather than as my King, my Lord, my Judge, my Salvation? Would I be ready, willing, and happy to walk through the door of death at this moment, to live in the presence of God my Father forever? What did Jesus mean when He said that not everyone who says Lord, Lord, but he who does the will of my Father will be saved? Important questions! Even years ago, when I worked in the small garden in back of our church I reflected upon these and similar questions. In my relationship to the earth and to the plants I saw myself in a similar situation as to how I saw God relating to all creation. I thought within myself how my attitude toward the plants would serve as a way of understanding a little better the attitude of God toward myself and others. I was there. present, working with the plants and caring for them. We believe this of the attitude of God toward us. He is with us, caring for us. One night when in a particularly dry period of time I found myself out in the garden watering the vegetables between eleven thirty and midnight. T his reminded me of God's constant vigil over us, His desire to be present to our needs, His generous giving of gifts, night and day. As I watered the tomato plants one by one, almost calling each by name, I thought of the meaning and beauty of the Bible texts that reveal to us that God calls each of us by name, that He loves every one of us individually, and cares for each of us as if there were no other. I thought how I really didn't need the tomato plants, nor the tomatoes they would produce, but nonetheless I wanted them. I had plenty to eat available to me in the local stores, friends who would bring me tomatoes, and money to buy what I needed. Yet I wanted the tomatoes growing in the garden. I planted them just where they were. My desire was for them to grow the best they could, to be the best they could be, for their sake, as it were, rather than my own. So, I thought within myself, it is with God, our Father. How wonderful His love for us and how marvelous His name in all the earth. Our Father...hallowed by Thy name... Thy will be done... Amen!