Continuing thoughts from Henri Nouwen from yesterday... still hitting my heart quite painfully...
Empowered to Receive Love
The Spirit reveals to us not only that God is "Abba, Father" but also that we belong to God as his beloved children. The Spirit thus restores in us the relationship from which all other relationships derive their meaning.
Abba is a very intimate word. The best translation for it is: "Daddy." The word Abba expresses trust, safety, confidence, belonging, and most of all intimacy. It does not have the connotation of authority, power, and control, that the word Father often evokes. On the contrary, Abba implies an embracing and nurturing love. This love includes and infinitely transcends all the love that comes to us from our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, spouses, and lovers. It is the gift of the Spirit.
Showing posts with label Abba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abba. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Oh My...
I'm in an odd space this morning (more about that in a post coming shortly), and these two reflections from Henri Nouwen (but particularly the second one) hit my heart deeply.
Empowered to Be
Who are we? Are we what we do? Are we what others say about us? Are we the power we have? It often seems that way in our society. But the Spirit of Jesus given to us reveals our true spiritual identities. The Spirit reveals that we belong not to a world of success, fame, or power but to God. The world enslaves us with fear; the Spirit frees us from that slavery and restores us to the true relationship. That is what Paul means when he says: "All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons [daughters] of God, for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Romans 8:15).
Who are we? We are God's beloved sons and daughters!
Empowered to Call God "Abba"
Calling God "Abba, Father" is different from giving God a familiar name. Calling God "Abba" is entering into the same intimate, fearless, trusting, and empowering relationship with God that Jesus had. That relationship is called Spirit, and that Spirit is given to us by Jesus and enables us to cry out with him, "Abba, Father."
Calling God "Abba, Father" (see Roman 8:15; Galatians 4:6) is a cry of the heart, a prayer welling up from our innermost beings. It has nothing do with naming God but everything to do with claiming God as the source of who we are. This claim does not come from any sudden insight or acquired conviction; it is the claim that the Spirit of Jesus makes in communion with our spirits. It is the claim of love.
Empowered to Be
Who are we? Are we what we do? Are we what others say about us? Are we the power we have? It often seems that way in our society. But the Spirit of Jesus given to us reveals our true spiritual identities. The Spirit reveals that we belong not to a world of success, fame, or power but to God. The world enslaves us with fear; the Spirit frees us from that slavery and restores us to the true relationship. That is what Paul means when he says: "All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons [daughters] of God, for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Romans 8:15).
Who are we? We are God's beloved sons and daughters!
Empowered to Call God "Abba"
Calling God "Abba, Father" is different from giving God a familiar name. Calling God "Abba" is entering into the same intimate, fearless, trusting, and empowering relationship with God that Jesus had. That relationship is called Spirit, and that Spirit is given to us by Jesus and enables us to cry out with him, "Abba, Father."
Calling God "Abba, Father" (see Roman 8:15; Galatians 4:6) is a cry of the heart, a prayer welling up from our innermost beings. It has nothing do with naming God but everything to do with claiming God as the source of who we are. This claim does not come from any sudden insight or acquired conviction; it is the claim that the Spirit of Jesus makes in communion with our spirits. It is the claim of love.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Abba.
For much of the afternoon, and on into the evening, my heart was deeply unsettled.
I tried to pray. But words just wouldn't (and aren't) forming.
I've been praying a rosary book - a book of prayers and scriptures designed for the Anglican rosary - nightly since the new year began. Each and every night, just before sleep, the scriptures and prayers, and the prayer Jesus taught us to pray.
Our Father. Sometimes I can barely make it past that line. My lips move and repeat the rest of the prayer. But my heart is stuck there. In that space. Calling out for a Father.
And all afternoon, as I tried to find words, my heart simply cried out, over and over, "Abba." "Abba".
I need a God who is Abba - Daddy - right now. A God who draws near. A God who waits with me. A God who holds me, and wipes my many tears.
And so, as my heart remains unsettled, the only words that will form on my lips are "Abba."
And sometimes, "Abba, help."
I tried to pray. But words just wouldn't (and aren't) forming.
I've been praying a rosary book - a book of prayers and scriptures designed for the Anglican rosary - nightly since the new year began. Each and every night, just before sleep, the scriptures and prayers, and the prayer Jesus taught us to pray.
Our Father. Sometimes I can barely make it past that line. My lips move and repeat the rest of the prayer. But my heart is stuck there. In that space. Calling out for a Father.
And all afternoon, as I tried to find words, my heart simply cried out, over and over, "Abba." "Abba".
I need a God who is Abba - Daddy - right now. A God who draws near. A God who waits with me. A God who holds me, and wipes my many tears.
And so, as my heart remains unsettled, the only words that will form on my lips are "Abba."
And sometimes, "Abba, help."
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