We have defined prayer as breathing out self and breathing in God. We breath in a God who is Abba Father Daddy. I loved to play with the kids. I love to play with the grand children. Lego never had lego as a child so love to do it with the kids I now get my lego out before they come and start to build something and as soon as they see what I am doing I have three little helpers.
I play on the floor with the kids, tickle them read to them while sitting on the floor with cushions. It was light and fun. They called me Daddy during these times.
Yet all the kids and the grand kids know the other side of me. It is that mean voice I have when I said Melissa stop that right now. James Let go of your sister. I loved to play but I also had a role to stop them from hurting others and hurting themselves. That required a voice of an authoritarian. All of my children fear me when they hear that voice. I never spanked any of the kids. They were not afraid of physical violence like I was a child. They knew by the voice that the time of play was over.
God the father has different voices. Each voice is still a voice of love it sounds different, and we respond to it differently. I can fear God because he is a holy father. I can stand in awe of God because of his power and strength. I can feel his love and mercy in his voice because my hurt is so deep and intense. Yet no matter what voice God uses it is still a voice of Love.