Our Father

This post begins a series of reflections on who God is for us. We begin with “Our Father.”

God is our Father.

And He is a good Father.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is retelling the story of God’s people, and he says that when they found themselves in the wilderness “the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son” (Deuteronomy 1:32). What a wonderful picture! Like a dad who scoops up his son and carries him on his hip or hoists him on his shoulders so the Lord carries his people. This image is a beautiful blend of tenderness and strength.

This fatherly love shapes all His interactions with us. David says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13). As a father is mindful of a child’s pace, strength, weakness, intellect, or personality and adjusts accordingly so the Lord knows you – how you work, what you can handle, what you need – and fits his care to you.

But of course, the good news of the Gospel is that God is not just a Father but that He is our Father. The Apostle Paul encourages us with this reminder:

“[14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” [16] The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…” (Romans 8:14-16)

All who are led by the Spirit can be assured they are children of God, and by His Spirit we are able to and invited to call out to our heavenly Dad.

We can go to the God of the universe with the confidence a child has going to their earthly father. Actually, we can go with even more confidence because we know His love and compassion for us are perfect.

And so, Jesus tells us to begin our prayers with the simplest and yet profoundest of openings: “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9).

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Amen.

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