My children are now over 20. One of them has left home. You’d think I would have cut the apron strings when it comes to attachment to them.
A father and son. PICTURE: StockSeller_ukr/iStockphoto
Yet, I can’t think of anything that hurts more than when they hurt. When life goes wrong for them, my heart breaks deeply with theirs.
How does a simple biological connection translate into a broken heart?
Is this how God – the Father – feels about we, His children?
Christianity is unique for describing the relationship between God and humans as parent-child, rather than master–slave. Jesus said, “when you pray say, ‘Our Father’.”
Many mock this as unbecoming of a deity; too familiar. Is that the point? God’s heart hurts when we hurt. So much so that God became a parent, so we would know that He knows the pain of life.
Wow.
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
