“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9, NKJV)
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“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”
(Matthew 6:9, NKJV)
Rev Dale Lee
Jesus teaches us to address God as “our Father.” No other major religion in the world teaches its members to do this. The prophets portray God as a Father, a Father Who has had to endure the rebellion of His children. (Isaiah 1:2) These words of Jesus may cause some of us to pause and consider exactly what kind of a Father God is. For many, the thought of God as Father is difficult to come to terms with. The reasons are not hard to find. Children form their beliefs about God from their earthly fathers. A pastor from Louisiana has written about the wounds people carry from their earthly fathers. Some fathers were absent. A brokenhearted young lady once told how the memory of her father leaving home when she was three was forever burned into her mind. She stood at the window and watched him drive out of her world. Some fathers were abusive, taking out their frustrations on the defenseless children. Some fathers were alcoholic and released hell into their homes. For many, to see God as the affectionate and attentive Father He is will require a mind alteration. God is the perfect Father and is infinitely better than any earthly father. Thank God for the kind, loving and self-denying fathers many have known. But the impact of earthly fathers upon our view of God cannot be denied. Even Jesus cried out to His Father, “why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) Satan is the Accuser. He accuses everyone with vile malice. He accuses God to us by attacking His Fatherhood. “Where was God, your supposedly good heavenly Father, when you needed him most?” Painful childhood experiences, satanic accusations, at times a dark and dangerous path, these tempt us to doubt the faithfulness and goodness of our heavenly Father. God has arranged our lives so that we have to choose to trust him or not. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Help us to do just this our Father.