Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and
mother.”
Mark 3:35
It
is not really a question of how we are related by blood, (although one could
scientifically make the argument that an atom never really dies or goes away –
it is just more or less. And in that we
are all “of the same blood”). Our questions of family have more to do with
links, roles and authority.
In
much of the world the head of the family is often seen as the eldest male in
the household. In many places it is the
female elder. In our culture (which is
very much based on the Greco-Roman model) we are used to the head being a
male. This was also true in the times
when the Bible was put together.
And
so we see the kings and public rulers and leaders in our scripture as mainly
male figures with a few females such as Esther, Deborah, and Lydia in the
mix. AND considering Mary was a woman
and the mother of Jesus – then God must be a male. (We are very much people of reasoning – even
when it comes to issues beyond reason).
So
it should be no surprise that the name “Father” is missing in this text since
we call God “Father” and God is present. The whole family, those who live out
life in unity with the will of God, is present.
Over
the next 9 weeks we will be looking more closely at the Lord’s Prayer and how
we can apply it – and live it out daily.
As
we pray – “Our Father”, we remember that it is all of us together, one family,
praying – recognizing that we live this life together. And if it is difficult (as it sometimes is)
to call God “Father”, we might do well to remembering that God is bigger than
our reasoning, God is bigger than our imaginations, and that God encompasses
the “whole” of who we are.
We
can come to this God – and pray with whatever image brings us closer to knowing
the will and the love of God. We can
come to God knowing that God is already there – wanting us to know the expanse
of love that God does have for us, each of us, and all of us.
Welcome to
the Family…
Pastor Erin
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