Sep 2 Mon
Is God my Father?
The Hebrew word nefesh (נפש, pronounced "neh-fésh") is generally translated as "soul". To fully grasp the weight of the Hebrew word nefésh, we need to return to the beginnings. God called the world into being with the power of His Word. But man came alive because God breathed into him and –made him in the likeness of God.
Man is the recipient of God’s Covenant. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (nefésh).” Nefésh highlights the weight and worth of the Covenant.
In Psalm 19, David wrote: "How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory… no speech or words are used, no sound is heard; Yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth."
Have you ever considered that, just like the sky reveals God’s glory, your life is supposed to reveal it too? You, your soul, –your nefésh– should reflect the One who created you. Are you revealing God –His glory– to the people around you, with your words, with your example, and with your actions?
Baptism is a rebirth into a new life. We become "children of God" and, as such, must live as children of our Father. Our life must acquire a unity of life which has as its core the presence of God Our Father; this can and must be a daily reality. Living in the presence of God thus becomes the innermost joy of the Christian.
This biblical concept is clear: for a faithful Israelite, living in the presence of God in the Promised Land was the source of joy. Similarly, we must come to understand, through faith and spiritual struggle, that God is always by our side, acting as a loving Father. He loves each one of us even more than all the mothers in the world love their children. He helps us, inspires us, blesses us, and forgives us.
Therefore, our Christian life should be characterized by living in the presence of the Father, with joy, optimism, strength, serene hope, and love. The fatherhood of God demands that our dealings with Him should never be one of servile obedience or formal reverence, but rather one of sincerity and trust, like a child with his loving father.
As in the parable of the prodigal son, God is never scandalized by us. He never tires of our infidelities. Our Heavenly Father forgives every offense when we return to Him, repent, and ask for forgiveness. He is a Father who anticipates our desire to be forgiven, and opens His arms to us with His grace.
Indeed, no one could turn to the Father if it were not for Him, the God of the Covenant, taking the initiative to come out and meet us, calling us with His grace. A Christian conversion is never a solitary act; God always comes out to meet us. It is not a humiliating experience for us; rather, it has the joyful flavor of returning to our Father's house.
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