God's Calling ~ Knowing God's Name

 

We continue exploring images and names of God from the New Zealand’s version of the Lord’s Prayer.  Today we open our hearts to this one:

Father and Mother of us all.

I love imagining God as both father and mother.  Do you find yourself resonating with one or the other?  Do you gravitate toward God defined, described as Mother or Father?  How might you experience God in each of these holy genders?  I don’t mean that rhetorically, I invite us to have some conversation around this.  How might God be a father and mother to you?  I sense God’s love as father helping me with quiet presence and protective care.  I sense God’s love as mother in warm hugs and strength that keeps me going. 

Now is your turn.  Prayerfully reflect on the ways God’s presence comes to you like a Father and Mother.  What might that mean?  Do you sense any resistance, reluctance as a response to these images? 

Remember, the power of the New Zealand’s Lord’s Prayer is that the authors did not limit us even to these two images.  Rather they offered us a rich way to engage our imagination and soul.  I pray today you will step into the invitation to encounter God’s parental love for you.