[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during July 2024]
The 1972 film ‘The Godfather’ tells the story of Vito Corleone, the patriarch of a New York gangster family. Despite his involvement in a wide range of nefarious business activities he was noted for his devotion to his family. By contrast, James Hilton’s 1933 novel ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’ describes how a lonely school teacher became a father-figure for hundreds of boys, not just earning not just their respect but also their devotion.[1] It has been said many times that our perception of God as ‘Father’ is often conditioned by our relationship with our own father or other father figures that we have known. (more…)