Understanding // Father

When I talk to my little girl, I use two kinds of words; I use words I know she will understand in order to clearly communicate with her and I use words that I know she does not yet understand but that I desire to teach her.  She is learning all the time and we find that she soaks up so much of what we say.  Right now her creativity and logic are off the chart.  She is using new words all the time and is creating all the time.  Is is so exciting and fun.  It is also challenging because she is learning how to express her disobedient desires in new ways.  When I read scripture I read so much that I do not yet understand.  The mystery of scripture is one of the aspects which reveals its true source.  There are so many things that God desires to communicate to me now so I hear him using words I do understand. 

Father. 

Frequently in scripture God uses this word to describe my relationship with him. I know for some this word is loaded with pain.  That is not the case for me, I have a good relationship with my earthly father.  I love him deeply.  Although it was not until last week that this word started to have much greater depth for me in my relationship with God. 

Abby. 

Abby is our little girl.  She is an angel.  Not all the time, but she is an amazing child and is so much fun and such a blessing to our family.

Last week Abby was sick.  It is so sad to see her sitting there, nose running, energy gone, feverish and weak.  On a typical day she is full of energy and loves to sing, run and play.  She will say, "My energy is coming out!"  It is fun.  But not last week.  She would just sit there, looking around as if the world was in slow motion.

Everything in us wanted her to be well.  We wanted her to be free from sickness and to be restored to her normal joyful, singing, running and playful self. 

The lights went on for me as I watched my little girl sit there being so far from who she is meant to be. 

God - seeing how sick we are, how far we are from who we were meant to be, sent Jesus.  Sin is not just breaking the rules is it a sickness that shuts us down from the inside out.   It hinders us from being who we were meant to be, living freely like we were meant to be and seeing the world in full color like we were meant to see.

I see me differently now. 

Father.