Becoming Who God Wants You to Be

THROUGH MY WORK in spiritual direction, I find that many people have a fear of abandonment. As an only child, I felt that fear especially when my parents would go out for an evening. I didn’t know if I could trust the promise that my parents would return because of the lurking fear that one night they wouldn’t – and I’d be alone always.
Understandably, I find comfort in Jesus’ promise of promises: “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you” (John 14:18, RSV). In seminary I knew who my favorite theologian would be the day my professor said that Karl Barth’s God was the one who made and kept promises.
My favorite place as a boy was climbing to the highest branch of the cherry tree in our yard. … In that tree I would dream that someday a tree house might reside there. One Sunday the minister shared Jesus’ promise to “prepare a place for you” (John 14:3). I knew a better translation: “I go to build a tree house for you.”
This image has remained throughout the years, and I encountered another scripture passage that completed my childhood portrait. I would move in, and there would be a knock on my tree house door. There he would be as promised. He would say, “I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (Rev. 3:20).
Even today while receiving Communion, this image of playing house together returns. It’s all about being able to trust promises.

– Personal Spiritual Direction
Becoming Who God Wants You to Be