To Some the Image of God as Father is not a Comforting Image

We call God father. To some the image of God as father is not always a comforting image. Many have experienced their fathers as emotionally distant, physically and sexually abusive, harsh and demanding.  Their experiences suggest a father might murder his children and God might be such a father. It is difficult for these people to find any attraction in calling God a father and some of the stories in the bible remind them of their abusive fathers and suggest that God did kill his children.

 

There are no perfect fathers but we all know the qualities we expect from good parents. We expect them to love us unconditionally, to guide us, teach us, and encourage us to be our best. We depend upon them to set boundaries yet give us freedom to explore and even fail. We expect parents to provide a safe place for us to return to after we have been testing our wings.

 

We read stories in the newspaper of a father killing his child; incomprehensible to most.

 

Could you destroy or abandon your child? If you could you probably see nothing strange about the idea of God destroying or condemning his children. Do we understand the bible? Is it possible that God will annihilate abandon, or eternally punish his children?

 

Jerry Falwell was once asked what he would do if his son were gay. He said he'd tell him homosexuality was wrong. Then he said, "Nothing would make me reject one of my children. I would tell him to go back to his bedroom. You live here. You are my son. My resources are yours."

 

Is God not more gracious than Jerry Falwell? God loves his children more perfectly than any human father. Matthew recorded that Jesus said "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him."

 

Last night Beverly was talking with Al about her 7-year-old grandson.  He is putting his parents and teachers through hell.  He is rebellious, screams, strikes his mother, is uncooperative plus some. Neither his parents nor grandparents are going to reject him.  We believe there is a limit beyond which God's love will not go. Really?

 

In the parable of the Prodigal Son at what point did the father throw the son out? What was Jesus really trying to say? I use the word "trying" because I do not believe we understand Jesus' true meaning of the story.