Come Home to Abba

Book of Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalm 34
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

Proverbs 9 is an image of the celebration feast when finally we come home to Abba Father. Jesus is the meal, the Bread of Life, feeding anyone, even the poor and outcasts. These people, looked down upon by the "proper folks" of Jesus' day are marginalized. In Wisdom they are called the foolish—immature, naïve, and easily led astray—and we are included… So Ephesians warns us: "Look diligently how you walk, not as fools but as wise."

we know that Jesus is the wise path, but we are not always exactly sure how to walk in Him. There are so many foolish paths in the world and the signage is not always clear. Because humans instinctively avoid pain and seek pleasure, the sinful passions lead us to choose the false paths. We wander in falsehood with hungry souls, while in God’s Kingdom the table of real food and fellowship untouched. 

Remember the commercial, “What’s in your wallet?” Wisdom asks, “What’s in your heart?” Hear this: The Image of God is in your heart. At your core you are beautiful and beloved, but the Image is covered by the “self” you have created in response to the pain of life and to avoid your greatest fear: the fear of—being bad, being unloved, being worthless, being insignificant, being helpless, being unsupported, being trapped, being hurt, or being lost—pick one or many, whatever it is, doubt and fear are the rich soil for your rebellion and sin. The Holy Spirit is in your heart, too, we are not alone or hopeless, but we sometimes we do turn in the wrong direction.

“Sin” is often called “walking the wrong path.” It is easy to get lost. There are many paths to Jesus, but they are narrow and hard. There are many more paths, easier and wider, headed away from home. We get wrong directions, we don’t read maps, we want to do our own thing and sometimes we hurt so bad that we just run away without paying attention to where we are going. So, the most important question of life is, “How do I find the way home to Father God and myself?”

We are all different, but there are similar patterns which people adopt in thinking, feeling, perceiving, and judging. God is saving us, even now, so we must cooperate by becoming more aware of which foolish paths appeal to us. The most dangerous path—trying to heal ourselves—takes many forms and we unconsciously cling to. We prefer distractions rather than face the Lie at work within us. We reject the way of the cross and death, but understand, the self which dies on the cross is a usurper, our own creation, and until it is gone, God’s Image remains hidden within us. The Christian life style open us to Jesus’ healing light. We cannot fix ourselves, but God will not save us against our will. We must work to remove the obstacles to union with God. We must get on the wise path. We must see ourselves for what we are, but we can only face ourselves if we look to the Lord and see our face reflected in His eyes. Abba sees what you are, but also what you shall be when united with Jesus you are fully a child of God. Jesus heals. Come home to Abba Father.

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The Enneagram comes from ancient wisdom traditions and can be helpful in discerning the ways we are unconsciously led astray. Here are three tests to help you begin your personal discernment process 

https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test

https://enneagramtest.net/

http://www.9types.com/rheti/index.php

For an overview of the types: 

 http://www.9types.com/descr/

The three books I've read (there are many more)

"The Road Back to You" Ian Cron & Suzanne Stabile (they have podcasts too)

"The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective" Richard Rohr & Andreas Ebert (Check Rohr's website)

"The Sacred Enneagram" Christopher Heuertz 

I value the Enneagram as a supplementary tool to Orthodox Psychotherapy. It makes the concept of "the passions" concrete and helps us see how they are at work in the "nous" (mind/soul) and how the heart is made inhospitable for God. Discerning your type takes time and effort, and each one of us has our own particular way of living it out. Trust God, be patient, and begin the journey!