Here’s the 5-minute video . . . and the podcast episode
Recall your warmest memories from childhood. Do you remember a parent who loved you, played with you, made you feel safe while encouraging discovery and adventure, a parent who was forgiving, with whom you could be yourself, someone you could share with and trust? Of course, no merely human parent has all those qualities all the time, but do you have warm memories of a parent being a genuinely good parent some of the time?
Even if you have no such memory, the most wonderful parent, friend, companion is there for you. The door is open. Enter the family of God in simplicity as humble, open, and teachable—with the faith and trusting dependence of a little child. That is the faith that enables you to find God as your Father, your loving and merciful Parent.
Physically, we start as a one-celled zygote. Mentally, we start in complete ignorance. Why should we expect our physical and mental development to give us advanced standing in our spiritual journey?
But some people resist the child-Parent relationship with God. Are you resisting because of fear that you have to give up some enslaving pleasure, some pet evil? On the other side of repentance is waiting for you a soul-satisfying happiness.
Do you refuse to enter the family of God as a child because of your pride? It could be pride in your success. Then you are taking for granted your life, your gifts, and your support. Even more success, more genuine, solid, enduring success awaits you when you go into partnership with God. Or maybe it is pride in your knowledge of science or philosophy or politics. Does it seem totally obvious to you that faith in God is absurd in this universe, which is indifferent or hostile? One brave stretch of faith opens a new horizon. You do not need to change your views about ecology or national or world politics. You just need to add something to it. Entering the family of God as a child and growing up spiritually enables you to make a better contribution.
Or perhaps you are on a spiritual or religious path, and you are stuck. To get unstuck, go back to square one. Enter the family of God with the faith and trusting dependence of a little child.
By presto44 http://mrg.bz/SbEZGi
Recall your warmest memories from childhood. Do you remember a parent who loved you, played with you, made you feel safe while encouraging discovery and adventure, a parent who was forgiving, with whom you could be yourself, someone you could share with and trust? Of course, no merely human parent has all those qualities all the time, but do you have warm memories of a parent being a genuinely good parent some of the time?
Even if you have no such memory, the most wonderful parent, friend, companion is there for you. The door is open. Enter the family of God in simplicity as humble, open, and teachable—with the faith and trusting dependence of a little child. That is the faith that enables you to find God as your Father, your loving and merciful Parent.
Physically, we start as a one-celled zygote. In our mental development, we start from complete ignorance. Why should we expect our physical and mental development to give us advanced standing in our spiritual journey?
But some people resist the child-Parent relationship with God. Are you resisting because of fear that you have to give up some enslaving pleasure, some pet evil? On the other side of repentance is waiting for you a soul-satisfying happiness.
Do you refuse to enter the family of God as a child because of your pride? It could be pride in your success. Then you are taking for granted your life, your gifts, and your support. Even more success, more genuine, solid, enduring success awaits you when you go into partnership with God. Or maybe it is pride in your knowledge of science or philosophy or politics. Does it seem totally obvious to you that faith in God is absurd in this universe, which is indifferent or hostile? One brave stretch of faith opens a new horizon. You do not need to change your views about ecology or national or world politics. You just need to add something to it. Entering the family of God as a child and growing up spiritually enables you to make a better contribution.
Or perhaps you are on a spiritual or religious path, and you are stuck. To get unstuck, go back to square one. Enter the family of God with the faith and trusting dependence of a little child.
By presto44 http://mrg.bz/SbEZGi
