In the lap of a black hole

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
But rescue us from the evil one.

“Our Father in heaven.”

What could be more hug-you-tight intimate than Father?

What could be more light-years distant than heaven?

“Father” is as as close as “heaven” is far.

The effect of putting “Father” and “heaven” together is to bring us as close to heaven as curling up on Daddy’s lap.

But is also reminds us that the Father in heaven is not much like fathers on earth. The sun, more than 94 million miles away, is the source and sustainer of all life as we know it on earth. But anything that gets within a few million miles turns to vapor in the sun’s awesome, overwhelming energy.

So, in his prayer, Jesus teaches us that “our Father” may be, at the same time, as close and warm as a kiss on our forehead and as holy, powerful, and terrible as a solar eruption.

I don’t have it in my imagination or intellect to explain this, but Jesus didn’t explain it either (and he would be the only person who could explain it).

Explaining “our Father in heaven” must not be important; perhaps acceptance is all we need.

Acceptance that God is a black hole that even the most powerful telescope can’t see.

Acceptance that we may call that black hole “Father” and curl up in its lap.

Our Father in heaven.

Behold, the familiarity and mystery of God in one phrase.

Grace and peace.