Back to Basics: Learning to Rely on a Loving God

One of nature’s most fascinating learning processes takes place when an eaglet learns to fly. At the appropriate time, the mother eagle nudges the fledgling out of the lofty cliffside nest, and spirals around it as it falls fluttering toward the ground. Then she swooped under the little one, catches it on her back, and ferries it to a higher altitude before tipping it into another fall earthward, this time allowing it to fall closer to the ground before another last-minute rescue. With its wings strengthened by resisting the fall after each uplift, the eaglet eventually learns to fly.

Like eaglets, we experience a cycle of falls and rescues. Sometimes our loving Lord may appear to allow us to fall into weakness, apathy, fearful insecurities and even sin, before lifting us up to heights of holiness – only to let us plummet earthward again. Through this we are meant to learn the basic truth that in all of life’s ups and downs, “God rescues and he saves” (Dn 6:27). In our moments of distress and plummeting discouragement, we may plead like the psalmist, “O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life” (Ps 35:17). But as God’s beloved faltering fledglings, we know that ultimately he will rescue us: “You are a shield around me, O Lord, You…lift up my head” (Ps 3:3). Eventually we recognize that we can count on his fathomless love for us – a reliable, trustworthy, accepting, magnanimous love that rescues, redeems, saves, and delivers us. “Turn, O Lord, and deliver me: save me because of our unfailing love” (Ps 6:4).

That is the first important lesson for us nestlings. Only when we have come to appreciate, in at least some of its many manifestations, that “unfailing love” as God’s basic attribute can we respond to it and allow ourselves to be magnetized by it. Hence, in the chapters of this first section we shall consider a few of the manifold ways in which God patiently teaches us to rely on his awesome, wondrous unfailing love.

This excerpt is from the book The Art of Loving God by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications, 1995. This and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.