Calling God “Father” in Times of Anguish-by Mark D. Roberts
09 Nov 2011 2 Comments
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me.
Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
In our last two reflections, 11/7 and 11/8, we considered the agony with which Jesus prayed in the
Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of his crucifixion. Today, we begin to focus on
the substance of his prayer.
Jesus begins by addressing God simply as “Father,” suggesting deep intimacy
and love, as well as respect. The Aramaic word Jesus used in his prayer,
Abba, could mean “Daddy” or “Papa” as well as a more respectful
“Father.” In his moment of anguish, Jesus knew that he could bare his heart to
his Father in heaven. He was sure that his Father would listen to him and have
compassion upon him.
Given the fact that Jews in the time of Jesus and before did not speak to the
Lord this way, it is stunning to hear “Father” on the lips of Jesus. But, we
might chalk this up to an implication of his unique identity as the Son of God.
So, in some ways, it is even more surprising that Jesus invites us to speak to
God as our Father. In Luke, for example, Jesus says to his disciples, “This is
how you should pray: ‘Father, may your name be kept holy… (11:2).’ “
Sometimes, when we are experiencing unbearable pain or soul-wrenching
sadness, we have a hard time calling out to God, let alone addressing him as
Father. God seems distant, uncaring, uninvolved. These feelings are very real
and very common. I have certainly felt them. Yet, the example of Jesus
encourages us to continue to speak openly to our Heavenly Father, bearing our
souls to him. Even though we cannot be sure how he will act in response to our
prayers, we can know that he is there for us, that his love for us can never be
broken.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Do you ever speak to God
as Father? Why or why not? In your times of anguish, are you able to keep on
praying? Do you believe that God is your loving Father, even when it’s hard to
sense his love?
PRAYER: Father, how wonderful to be able to address you in
this way. How I thank you, both for the example of Jesus, and for the specific
invitation to address you with a term of intimacy and familial love.
Help me, Father, especially in times of anguish, to keep on calling out to
you. May I have confidence in your love for me. May I keep the channel of
communication between us open.
I pray today for those who have a hard time thinking of you as Father because
of their experiences of their earthly fathers. For some, Lord, the word “father”
is laden with pain. I ask that you make your love for them tangible and that you
heal their emotional wounds so that they might feel free to experience your
fatherly love and to speak to you as Father.
Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/calling-god-father-times-anguish
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