My Fathers World

I spent several years setting with others listening to their reflections on life experiences .... some pleasant, some unpleasant ..... life is that way ... experiences shape our future perspective, right or wrong.

One of the things I have learned in the process that seems to be fairly consistent is the perspective we learned or experienced from our fathers (or mothers) in our life journey has far reaching influence in our relationship to God/Jesus.  Can you picture your fathers (or mothers) hands?  Are they safe or harsh in your picture?  Are those hands connected to open. inviting arms or closed, crossed arms of strictness?

For me those pictures change from time to time depending on the memories that are stirred from time to time .... my earthly father and mother are gone now and I do miss them both .... I wish I had known more about them and their walk in life ... I know some but so very little of their life experiences.  I know my father was given away to relatives at the age 7-9 due to the depression era struggles while five other brothers and sisters were allowed to stay in the family ... I know my mother was engaged to a boy in Canada that she broke up with, then traveled from Iowa to California to elope with my father because her father said no four times when they asked permission to marry.  Mothers family was Lutheran and fathers family was Catholic ... that was unacceptable in those days of life.

Those experiences shaped some of their perspectives and thereby shaped my and my brothers relationship/perspective of what God/Jesus meant by Love, Caring, Compassion, Grace and Forgiveness.  It is almost impossible to say those life experiences don't have future influence on how we choose to trust or not trust God/Jesus .... how we see (or don't see) God/Jesus in this world as we live our lives.

There is a song "This is my Fathers World" that verses speak out of God's creation and "though the wrong seems so strong at times God is still the ruler" and it ends with "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring propserity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you HOPE for".   Jeremiah 29:11

Do His arms and hands look open or closed as you visualize those words in you mind and heart?

Jesus says "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burden .... and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke (my ways) upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, .... and you will find rest for your souls.  Matthew 11:28-29

As you picture these words of God/Jesus in your mind I pray that you can see His hand and arms are open, caring, comforting, compassionate, forgiving, full of loving/life giving Grace through Jesus the Christ.

Cry out to Abba the Father ... He is gentle and humble in heart .... He Loves us.