Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging

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It's a hit!

An amazing book on embracing our identity as children of the Abba of Jesus. Brennan Manning (author of A Ragamuffin Gospel) is an eloquent and ins... (show more)

An amazing book on embracing our identity as children of the Abba of Jesus. Brennan Manning (author of A Ragamuffin Gospel) is an eloquent and inspiring writer who reminds us of how limitless and joyful God's love for us is - especially those of us who wrestle with acceptance, self-hatred, putrid low self-esteem, undeserved grace, authenticity, judgemental legalism, and who desperately need the primary defining experience of Abba's approval and affirmation. This book is filled with wonderful, wisdom-soaked anecdotes that you will want to share with people. In a world of professional religious performance and superficiality, it is not until we identify our true selves in all our frailties that we become like little children, and find ourselves deeply and scandalously loved by Abba, and intimately belonging to him. Quite psychological in many ways, but definitely pastoral, and it even has a series of very helpful discussion guides for use in a small group setting. Get yourself a copy and you will know at least half a dozen folk you will want to pass it on to. Great book, amazing writer. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

Listened to on tape. Not near as good as Ragamuffin Gospel. Had a hard time getting through it. Still, parts were quite interesting.

 

 

by Steve Eggleston

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  As loved children we shouldn’t feel the need to put on a mask or make ourselves pretty for our Father. Brennan Manning in his book Abba’s Child confronts the imposter lurking in all off us; the part of us that tells us God is most satisfied with us when we look pretty or that God is pleased when we do everything we are told to do. The fact is, though, that God is most happy with us when we come to him like children because children don’t wear masks to hide who they are. Instead they simply ... (show more)

  As loved children we shouldn’t feel the need to put on a mask or make ourselves pretty for our Father. Brennan Manning in his book Abba’s Child confronts the imposter lurking in all off us; the part of us that tells us God is most satisfied with us when we look pretty or that God is pleased when we do everything we are told to do. The fact is, though, that God is most happy with us when we come to him like children because children don’t wear masks to hide who they are. Instead they simply feel safe about who they are.
  Manning coins the term imposter in the first few pages of the book. He tells of how our imposter is the mask we put on and in time the imposter becomes like a real person. It is the alternate us that we put on to “look good” for God. But Manning explains there is a fatal flaw to having an imposter. God doesn’t know him. He cant know him because the imposter isn’t real even though he seems. In turn the imposter robs us of God’s love by telling us that we need to dance like a wind up doll to please our lord and savior. Abba’s Child offers an alternative though. To embrace the true self by accepting God’s grace. So many think that embracing the fact that we are given grace, and that God loves us despite our sin, mean that we are saying sin is okay. But Manning states that isn’t the case. Yes we are fallen but we also need to let God’s love reach into the deepest part of who we are.
  Manning offers one example of how we sometimes act towards God. If there is a child who’s parents never show her love and yet one day she sees another child who’s parents shower her with love and affection. Her response is to see that and want it so she tries to earn it by being well mannered or kind. Love cant be earned by works. Earned love really isn’t love at all. A child never wonders how they can make their parents love them more. Children are content. Manning explains we are called to be children content in God’s love. Manning makes a point in saying that it wasn’t by accident that Jesus tells the disciples “I tell you with certainty, unless you chance and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Manning characterizes a child as open, trusting, dependant, playful, simple, sensitive to feelings, and unashamed of their true self. By embracing the inner child we stop the imposter.
  The first step is acknowledging the imposter but Manning also adds the idea that once we stop the imposter we also need to find our true self. Manning spent weeks in solitude and thought this he heard Gods voice. God often calls to us but we are so preoccupied that we fail to recognize the whisper in the roars of life. But to be able to come to God as ourselves we need to know who we are and not just the good part of us. To admit our brokenness to God is the only way to be healed. Though our weakness God’s strength is shown. The Pharisees never found the ability to feel safe in God’s love. They found their safety in the law, but by doing so they sacrificed a relationship with God for of a set rules and legalism, both of which Jesus spoke strongly against. God wants us to love Him and obeying is an outpouring, not to emptily obey His rules and call that love.
  Brennan Manning, though Abba’s Child, tries to call all of us into a true relationship. A relationship where we are open with God and we do away with the imposter “robbing us of God’s love”. Manning challenges his reader to find their true self through a relationship with Christ because the picture of a Christian isn’t the one of someone changing how they live a few hours of the day, but it is the one where the person is so fully submerged in God’s love, that the only response is to live every second with God (show less)

   

  by Leanne Villalba on Aug 18, 2009 at 04:19PM

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  Probably one of the most honest books I've read. Touches your heart and then flips it over. Honest and authentic, digs deep into the human need of Gods unconditional Love in deep contrast to the worlds conditional love as well as our own protections mechanicisms in order to "gain" that love. What can I say , read the book.

   

   

  by Jeff C. Allen on Feb 29, 2008 at 02:26AM

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