Comfort for Our 2020 World in Need of a Heavenly Father

Of all the saddest stories reported are those that tell of loved ones forced into isolation from their families, left to suffer or die alone from COVID-19.  And there are others of us who would like to be like that snail - to curl ourselves up in that shell to hide from this ravaging world of disease.  Oh how the world needs the comfort and love of the Heavenly Father!

At the very beginning of the Lord’s Prayer Christ teaches us to call God “Our Father”.  That is because Christ wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayer - a childlike awe and trust that God our Father through Christ has become our Father.  Most earthly fathers do not refuse their children the things of this life; God our Father will even less refuse to give us what we ask for in faith. The words “in Heaven” teach us not to think of God’s heavenly majesty as something earthly and to expect everything for body and soul from His almighty power. 

What is childlike awe?  It is a combination of fear and reverence for Our Father.  A childlike fear makes us reckon with our sins and our sinfulness.  It’s a fear that makes us think twice before doing wrong, and makes us quick to ask Our Father for forgiveness when we have done wrong. Fear of God’s wrath induces us to pray the fifth petition: FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.  This childlike fear also leads us to pray the sixth petition: AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.

A childlike reverence for God  causes us to stand in awe of His infinite majesty, to glorify Him and cause Him to be glorified.  Our reverence for God must exceed that which we give to our earthly fathers.  By addressing God as our Father, we are reminded that we are not addressing an equal.  Our childlike reverence for God induces us to pray the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer: HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME.  Our reverence for God also is shown by submitting ourselves to His authority.  We honor God by our obedience.  It is this childlike reverence for God which brings us to pray the second petition: YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

But there is something else that is basic to  our prayer - a childlike trust.  By trust we mean dependence and reliance.  We must place ourselves in the care of God,  confidently expecting God to provide us with all that we need.  In order to do that we must know God’s love for us, His gracious promises, and His power or ability to provide us with all that He has promised.  

The address “Our Father” or “Abba” which means Daddy assures that we are not addressing an impersonal deity, but a loving God.  If we know of God’s grace in Jesus Christ, we can say with certainty “Yes” to all of God’s gracious promises.  And we must trust God’s power by NOT beginning our petitions to Him with a statement of doubt: “If you can…”.   For nothing is impossible with our powerful God.  It is this childlike trust in God that enables us to pray: GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.  And to close our prayer with certainty by saying: AMEN - IT WILL SURELY BE!

What a privilege given through grace to address God as “Our Father”. By nature no one has the right to address God as Father.  This is a privilege given only to those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ.  But as many as received (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12).  Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1).