We are used to speaking of God as "Father" and sometimes a rather stern one too! But God can be expressed in so many different ways. The Old Testament was not afraid to call God a mother and to use very feminine and maternal imagery. God will comfort the people of Israel as a mother comforts her child and they will be nourished from her breasts like babes. God's gift will be peace flowing like a river rather than wrath and punishment. It is good for us to concentrate on images of God that give peace, hope, and comfort rather than ones that instill fear. But we can use our imagination - perhaps there are images and symbols of God that mean something only to us. Let us not be afraid to use them in our prayer - all symbols that draw us closer to God are valid. God is all things to all people.

In the ancient world, children had no honor, power, status, or privilege in society. They did not worry about power, status, or prestige. So let us not be afraid to depend on God for everything like a child depends on a loving parent. Leave cynicism and competition behind. Be eager to learn new things. We cannot push or bluster our way into God's Kingdom. We can only enter with the joyful eagerness, simplicity, and wonder of a child.