Our Father

 

Our Father

 

As we in the United States celebrate Father’s Day, we honor our earthly fathers who love us, provide for us, train us, and were our first authority figures and role models (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:4). Sadly, not all fathers meet this ideal, and some children have never known their biological father or have even had a loving father figure involved in their upbringing.

Praise the Lord, the perfect Father is available to all who call on the Name of His Son (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), He gives us eternal life (John 3:16). At the moment of salvation, we are transformed from children of the devil to children of God, and we become part of God’s family and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17).

There is a popular misconception that all human beings are God’s children. Although all are God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-27), only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can call God their Father. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, the religious leaders of that time, because their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:1-9). Therefore He said that they were children of their father the devil and would do his bidding (John 8:41-44).

But for His followers and disciples who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and God Himself, Jesus taught us a beautiful prayer when asked how we should pray (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4). That model prayer is often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer, but that term is more appropriately applied to the prayer He prayed for all His followers in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion (John 17).

The model prayer has become so familiar that there is a danger it will be repeated by rote, without meditation on the beauty and meaning of each word. Jesus warned against such “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7).  However, those who have memorized it or will memorize it can surely benefit from slowly savoring each word that Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, in His Name, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

“Our” reminds us of the awesome privilege born-again believers (John 3:3-8) have of being able to call God “Our Father.” This is a relationship we share not only with fellow Christians but with Jesus Christ Himself, for He is the only begotten Son of the Father (John 3:16), while we have been adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5).

“Father” is a term that connotes the love and affection that we have for our Abba Father (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), like the name “Daddy” used by a small child for the one who showers blessings upon her. She can come running into his arms when afraid or climb into his lap when lonely without fear of rebuke or rejection. Abba Father loves us infinitely (1 John 4:7-19), yet God is also the perfect, holy Father (Psalm 68:5) Whom we should fear and respect (Psalm 111:10), for He has perfect righteousness (John 17:25) and infinite power and wisdom (2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalm 62:11; 103:13; Job 36:5).

“Which art in heaven,” tells us that God is on His heavenly throne (Psalm 45:6; 47:8), a vantage point from which He sees all, knows all, and sustains all (Psalm 139:80; Isaiah 40:28).

“Hallowed be thy name” refers to praising God (Psalm 146:1-2) for His holiness, which is an essential component of any prayer (Psalm 72:15-19). We recognize the Name of God and of Lord Jesus Christ as the Name above all Names, and the only Name by which we may be saved (Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 10:13). All will one day honor His Name by confessing that He is Lord (Romans 14:11) – how much better to do it now, in loving prayer, than to defy Him until we are forced to face Him in terror of His judgment!

“Thy will be done in earth” should also be included in every prayer, for the purpose of prayer is not to change God’s mind, but to bring our desires in alignment with His perfect will (Proverbs 3:5-6; Luke 22:42). Because He possesses all knowledge of all things past, present and future (Psalm 139:1-12), and because of His complete, self-sacrificing love for us (John 15:13; Jeremiah 31:3), His will for our lives is always perfect, even when we don’t like it or can’t understand it (Isaiah 55:9).

“As it is in heaven” sets the absolute standard by which to gauge circumstances. In Heaven there is no pain, suffering, sorrow, aging, sickness, death, or sin (Revelation 7:17; 21:4). Our prayer should acknowledge that God’s will for us on earth is perfect, just as Scripture tells us that His will being done in Heaven results in the perfection found there.

“Give us this day our daily bread” reflects the perfect gifts our Father freely gives us (Matthew 7:11). We do not pay for these gifts, work for them, or barter for them, any more than we can earn God’s freely given gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). He will provide for us if we ask Him daily for what we need each day. Like the manna with which God fed the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16), God’s blessings cannot be hoarded or stored, for His compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” If we repent of our sins by asking God’s forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9) and to separate us from our sins as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). But in light of His great mercy and forgiveness, which He extends to all of us even though it was our sins that crucified Him, He desires that we forgive others in return (Matthew 18:15-35). This is possible only through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which is why we must pray for the power to forgive by yielding to Him (Ephesians 4:20-32).

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:” Scripture promises that God cannot tempt us with evil (James 1:13), and that whenever we are tempted, He will always provide a way for us to escape the temptation so that we do not sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). Resisting evil (James 4:7) and fleeing from temptation are not innate characteristics because of our sin nature (Romans 5:12), but are desired and can be accomplished only by yielding to the Holy Spirit. Praying to Our Father, in Jesus’ Name, through the power of the Holy Spirit, gives us the victory in the spiritual battle we fight daily (Ephesians 6:10-18).

“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.” To God be the glory, for He reigns supreme, and will allow us to rule with Him in the Millennial Kingdom! (Revelation 20:4,6). He alone is the source of all power, so He alone deserves our praise and can answer our prayers.

Praise God that no matter what our earthly father is or was like, we are His child and He is our perfect Heavenly Father. May we honor Him daily with our praise and prayers!

© 2018 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

A Godly Legacy: Fearing God, Worshipping Him, Obeying Him

 

As we get ready to celebrate Father's Day, we may consider King David, who set a Godly example for his son Solomon to follow as a believer in God, as a wise man, and as a ruler over God’s people. Despite David’s sins, beginning with idleness, then snowballing into lust, adultery, and deception, and culminating with murder (2 Samuel 11), he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), showing genuine repentance and asking God to cleanse him of his sins (Psalm 51:7-17). If God could forgive and use David so powerfully, there is hope for every one of us!

During his reign, David defended God’s chosen people against her enemies, honored God in his daily walk, and provided Solomon with what he needed to build God’s temple, including precious metals, building materials, and semiprecious stones. His example inspired similar gifts, offerings and service for God’s house from the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and the rulers of the king's work (1 Chronicles 29:1-8).

Moved by the willingness of his people to serve God, David blessed, praised and thanked God for His greatness, abundant provision, and power. He recognized that he and his people were strangers, sojourners, and mortal before the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (1 Chronicles 29:9-16). Even though the Israelites were God’s chosen people, they had to be saved through faith before God could call them His friends, for faith is the common theme underlying salvation through all periods of Biblical history (Hebrews 11:6).

Obedience is the outward sign of faith, which is why “trust and obey” go hand in hand (1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15,21; 15:10). As I heard a missionary preach once, when Jesus tells you to do something, just do it! (John 2:5). David prayed that his people would always be willing to serve God, that they would prepare their hearts to receive Him, and that Solomon would have a perfect heart, to keep God’s commandments, testimonies, and statutes; to do all that God would have him do, and to build the palace (1 Chronicles 29:17-19).

Again following David’s lead, the people prayed to God, worshipped Him, and offered Him burnt offerings and drink offerings, in addition to the material sacrifices that they donated to build His house. They celebrated the transition in leadership from David to Solomon by joyfully feasting before the Lord, a second time making Solomon to be king, and anointing Solomon to the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. As Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king, all the princes, the mighty men, and all David’s sons obeyed the new King Solomon (1 Chronicles 29:20-24).

David’s shortcomings prove that he is human and a sinner like all others (Romans 3:23) and that the Bible is true, rather than glossing over weaknesses of heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11). Despite David’s sins, he left a Godly legacy for Solomon, his nation, and for all of us to learn from by reading God’s Word. God rewarded David’s faithfulness by answering his prayers for Solomon.

The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. Of the forty years that David had reigned over Israel, seven years (the number of perfection or completion) were in Hebron, and thirty and three years in Jerusalem. David’s reign, marked by longevity, riches, and honor, was recorded in the books of Samuel the seer (wise man or sage), Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer (1 Chronicles 29:25-30).

Even if we are not rulers or in positions of power or leadership, may we be like David, good stewards over what the Lord has entrusted to us. Once we realize that we are sinners saved by God’s grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)  in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), He immediately blesses us with forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9), eternal life (John 3:16), and abundant life (John 10:10). May we share Him with our families (Acts 11:14; 16:31) so that they too accept God’s freely given gift of salvation!

Our inheritance as children of God (1 John 3:1), joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and part of His bride (Revelation 21:2) includes opportunities to serve Him as His stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2), fellow-workers, and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). May we be an example of faithfulness, obedience, and honoring God to our children, families and those who come behind us. May we always remember to thank, praise and worship God for His abundant blessings to us, our family, and our nation!

© 2016 Laurie Collett

A Father’s Legacy of Faith

 

When we consider the story of how God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac to God on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-19), we typically view it as an example of Abraham’s great faith. Yet this test proved Isaac’s faith to be just as strong.

Isaac was the child of promise, whom God had promised to Abram and Sarah when they were very old and had no children. Even more amazing, this would be the child through whom Abraham (his new name) would be the father of a great nation, in whom all would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3), with descendants as innumerable as grains of sand on the seashore or stars in the sky (Genesis 22:17).

Sarah laughed when she heard that they would have a child, for she was aged and barren (Genesis 18:10-15). She had grown weary of waiting for God to allow her to conceive and took matters into her own hands by persuading Abraham to have relations with her handmaid Hagar (Genesis 16:1-8).

Sadly, Abraham acquiesced, and Ishmael was born from that illicit union. This lapse in faith proved not only that Abraham was human, subject to the same weaknesses as all of us (Romans 3:23), but also that God can and will use those who love and trust him, even when they have gone astray as Abram had done several times before (Genesis 12:10-20).

But every choice has its consequences. The birth of Ishmael caused strife not only in Abram’s own household, particularly after Isaac was born to Sarah as God had promised, but also engendered constant warring between the great nations born of Abraham’s offspring – Israel and the Muslim nations (Genesis 16:8-12).

Nonetheless, Abraham was a man of great faith in the One True God, which I believe is the greatest legacy a father can pass on to his children (Ephesians 6:4). His faith began when God first spoke to him, asking him to leave behind his home, pagan beliefs, and seat of power to journey through the wilderness (Genesis 12:1-3). God spoke of the Promised Land and said he would lead Abram there and make of him a great nation (Genesis 12:1-7).

What amazing faith it took to trust God to do this when Abram had no idea where he was going or how long it would take to get there! But even that faith pales in comparison with what happened later. God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, and to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain of Moriah that God would later specify (Genesis 22:1-19).

What must have raced through Abraham’s mind, and how must his heart have ached as he heard this! There was no mistaking God’s command. He specified “his only son” Isaac, making it clear that he referred to the child of His promise, and not the illegitimate son born through the weakness of Abraham’s flesh.

God clearly knew how much Abraham loved Isaac, making His command all the more repugnant and incomprehensible. Any loving parent would rebel at sacrificing their child, and most would even be willing to sacrifice their own life to spare that of their child, if they had the opportunity. Yet God was asking Abraham to lay Isaac on the altar, slay him with a knife, and then set his body on fire!

God’s command seemed to fly in the face of His very nature, which cannot change (Hebrews 13:8), as He later would forbid child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5). His own Son loved little children and held them up as an example of the type of faith needed to enter His kingdom (Matthew 19:14; 18:3). Abraham did not have the benefit of knowing this, yet he believed that God would keep His promise to make him the father of a great nation, which could only happen through Isaac.

Abraham’s faith is clear in his detailed obedience by getting up early for the journey, saddling and loading his ass, taking two companions for the trip, and bringing the wood for the burnt offering. He traveled for three days and must have had to silence whatever doubts and fears gnawed at his soul as he resolutely headed for the mountain (Genesis 22:1-4).

At the base of the mountain, Abraham told his companions to stay there with the ass and reassured them that he – and Isaac – would return after they had worshipped God (v. 5). What faith he showed to trust that God would somehow spare Isaac’s life!

Then it was only Abraham and Isaac ascending the mountain. The father carried the fire and knife, and the son bore the heavy burden of the wood to be used for his own funeral pyre. It foreshadowed Jesus struggling under the weight of the cross that would be the cruel instrument of His death (John 19:17).

Finally Isaac voiced the question that must have been troubling him, and to which he already knew the answer – where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (v. 6-7).

At this point Isaac was a strong young man, and his feeble father more than a centenarian. Isaac’s faith must have been just as great as Abraham’s faith, to obey God to the point of death, just as God’s only begotten Son Jesus would millennia later (Philippians 2:8). That type of faith is not born in a vacuum (2 Timothy 1:5), but from the living faith Isaac saw daily in his father Abraham.

Almost as if trying to convince himself, Abraham told Isaac that God Himself would provide the burnt offering. A man of lesser faith than Isaac would no doubt be tempted to escape as Abraham prepared the altar and wood, or to wrestle free as his father laid him on the altar and then raised the knife to slay Him (Genesis 22:8-10).

Yet Isaac held fast without complaint or struggle, submitting himself to God’s mercy, just as Jesus did when He was led as a sheep to the slaughter to pay the debt for our sin (Isaiah 53:5-7).

God rewarded the faith of father and son by sparing Isaac’s life, sending the angel of the Lord to keep Abraham from harming Isaac (Genesis 22:11-19). This test proved through their obedience and submission to God’s will that not only Abraham, but also Isaac, feared and trusted God. This came as no surprise to God, Who knows all things (Psalm 139:1-6), but it must have been an amazing confirmation to both men of God’s faithfulness and of their own faith.

God rewarded them further by providing a ram for the offering and by expanding upon His promise:

“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”  (Genesis 22:17-18).

All nations would be blessed through Jesus Christ, Who would be born to the house of Abraham (Matthew 1:1-17) and be the Savior of all who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way Heaven (John 14:6).

But Abraham’s legacy of faith did not stop with Isaac. His firstborn son Jacob, later renamed Israel because his faith was so great that he spent all night wrestling with God until He promised to bless him (Genesis 32:24-30), gave rise to the great nation of the same name, God’s chosen people. When Isaac was on his deathbed, Jacob acknowledged that his God was the God of his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham (Genesis 32:9).

Similarly, when Israel was on his deathbed, he blessed each of his twelve sons, progenitors of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. These included Joseph, himself a great example of faith in God working all things together for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Israel described Joseph as blessed “by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above” (Genesis 49:25).

As God had promised, the lineage of the Messiah would stem from Abraham’s seed, namely through Israel’s son Judah, direct ancestor of Jesus, Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), from whom the scepter of kingship and the lawgiverlawgiver would not depart (Genesis 49:10).

On Father’s Day, we honor our earthly fathers and thank our Heavenly Father for their Godly influence and other blessings on our life. May our earthly fathers bless their children with the greatest legacy – the gift of faith in our  Lord Jesus Christ!

© 2021 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives 

David Gifts His Son Solomon with His Godly Legacy and Kingdom

David presents the sceptre to his son, King Solomon

As we celebrate Father's Day, it is good to remember that no earthly father is perfect. King David was no exception, yet as a man after God's own heart, he gifted his son Solomon with his Godly legacy and passed on to him the reins of his kingdom. May all our readers who celebrate Father's Day have a blessed time with family, honoring the Godly men and leaders God has placed in their lives.

As Solomon became King, God granted his prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:7-14; 4.29-32), also blessing him with wealth and power (1 Chronicles 29:25). He was therefore divinely gifted to take on the mission God intended for him – to rule His people, to judge them fairly (1 Kings 3:16-28), and to build His temple. Solomon’s father, King David, proclaimed to his princes, captains and stewards, in the presence of his officers, mighty men, and valiant men, that Solomon would oversee the construction of God’s house (1 Chronicles 28:1)

David’s desire, intention, and preparation had been to build “an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God” (v. 2). But God would not allow him to do it, for David had been a warrior and had shed blood, whereas Solomon would rule in peace (1 Chronicles 22:9), making him better suited for this honor (1 Chronicles 28:3).

Just as God had chosen David to be king over Israel, selecting him from the house of Judah, from the house of his father; and from his many brothers, he chose Solomon from all David’s sons to be David’s successor, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel, and to build God’s house and courts (v. 4-6).

God had told David of this plan for Solomon, whom He had chosen to be His son, to whom He would be Father, and for whom He would establish his kingdom forever, if he continued to obey God (v. 7). This was a conditional promise, as David explained to Solomon in the presence of all Israel, the Lord’s congregation, and before the audience of God Himself (v. 8).

When a follower of God embarks on His divine mission, doing so before the church body ensures accountability, guidance, and support (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:25). David was passing the torch to his son Solomon as ruler over Israel, patriarch over the family (1 Chronicles 29:25), and as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). It is therefore fitting that he did so in the assembly of his royal court, his sons, and Almighty God (1 Chronicles 28:1,8).

Usually God communicates with believers through His recorded Word (Psalm 119); sometimes God speaks to us directly (1 Kings 19:12), as He did in this case to David; and often He sends us a message via Godly counsel (Psalm 37:30), just as He revealed His plan for Solomon through his father. David announced God’s desire that Solomon would keep and seek for all His commandments, know the God of his father David, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind (1 Chronicles 28:8-9).

It is interesting that God referred to Himself very specifically as “the God of thy father.” In His complete foreknowledge, He knew that Solomon would be drawn away by his pagan wives to follow false gods (1 Kings 11), for He searches all hearts, and understands all our thoughts and imaginings. But if Solomon sought after the One True God, he would find Him, possess the good land of Israel, and leave it to his children as a perpetual inheritance. Conversely, if Solomon forsook God, He would cast him off forever (1 Chronicles 28: 8-9).

Because God had chosen Solomon to build His house, David urged him to take heed, be strong, and do it. He gave him floor plans for the temple porch, houses, and treasuries, with details for the upper chambers, the inner parlors, and the place of the mercy seat. All these were inspired by the Spirit, Who gave the design for the courts, surrounding chambers, and treasuries of the house of God, He also provided plans for the courses of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord (v. 10-13).

Here we see the Trinity represented by the Holy Spirit, with the other two Members symbolized by King David as the Father and Solomon as His Son. Solomon was chosen by God to build His temple, where His glory would dwell with men (2 Chronicles 5:14).

This foreshadows the plan of salvation, foreordained by the Trinity before the beginning of time, by which sinful man can be saved and have eternal life (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). God the Father would send Jesus Christ the Son, robed in human flesh (John 1:14), to be God dwelling with us (Emmanuel; Matthew 1:23), the perfect sacrifice for all of our sins, and the Lamb of God (John 1:29) reconciling us to Holy God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Ephesians 2:16). The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus Christ to obey the will of His Father, endure the suffering on the cross, and rise again from the dead.

David not only provided Solomon with the temple plans he had received from God, and the Godly counsel to complete the task, but also material wealth of gold and silver for the temple instruments, furnishings, and altar (1 Chronicles 28: 8-18). “All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern” (v. 19).

Clearly this was not merely a passing thought that entered David’s mind, perhaps of his own imagination, but a detailed missive from God Himself, engraved onto his very being. When instructions from the Holy Spirit are that clear, thorough, and detailed, we ignore them at our own peril (John 10:27). David recognized their origin and responded appropriately because he was in the habit of communing with God and listening to His voice. No wonder that God chose David to author so many Psalms!

Again David emphasized to Solomon that he must be strong, fearless, and do what God had commanded, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord (1 Chronicles 28:20).

God would empower Solomon in this project not only by His own guidance and David’s treasure, but by the rich human resources of all the people of Israel. The religious leaders, artisans, and even the princes would be at Solomon’s beck and call, doing whatever he commanded to complete this great work (v. 21).

Praise God that when He calls us to His service, He provides all we need to fulfill His mission: funding, manpower, and prayer support through fellow believers! May we be strong through the power of His might; courageous, knowing that the victory is His, and just do it!

© 2016 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Our Father

 

As we in the United States celebrate Father’s Day, we honor our earthly fathers who love us, provide for us, train us, and were our first authority figures and role models (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:4). Sadly, not all fathers meet this ideal, and some children have never known their biological father or have even had a loving father figure involved in their upbringing.

Praise the Lord, the perfect Father is available to all who call on the Name of His Son (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), He gives us eternal life (John 3:16). At the moment of salvation, we are transformed from children of the devil to children of God, and we become part of God’s family and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17).

There is a popular misconception that all human beings are God’s children. Although all are God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-27), only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can call God their Father. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, the religious leaders of that time, because their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:1-9). Therefore He said that they were children of their father the devil and would do his bidding (John 8:41-44).

But for His followers and disciples who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and God Himself, Jesus taught us a beautiful prayer when asked how we should pray (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4). That model prayer is often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer, but that term is more appropriately applied to the prayer He prayed for all His followers in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion (John 17).

The model prayer has become so familiar that there is a danger it will be repeated by rote, without meditation on the beauty and meaning of each word. Jesus warned against such “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7).  However, those who have memorized it or will memorize it can surely benefit from slowly savoring each word that Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, in His Name, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

“Our” reminds us of the awesome privilege born-again believers (John 3:3-8) have of being able to call God “Our Father.” This is a relationship we share not only with fellow Christians but with Jesus Christ Himself, for He is the only begotten Son of the Father (John 3:16), while we have been adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5).

“Father” is a term that connotes the love and affection that we have for our Abba Father (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), like the name “Daddy” used by a small child for the one who showers blessings upon her. She can come running into his arms when afraid or climb into his lap when lonely without fear of rebuke or rejection. Abba Father loves us infinitely (1 John 4:7-19), yet God is also the perfect, holy Father (Psalm 68:5) Whom we should fear and respect (Psalm 111:10), for He has perfect righteousness (John 17:25) and infinite power and wisdom (2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalm 62:11; 103:13; Job 36:5).

“Which art in heaven,” tells us that God is on His heavenly throne (Psalm 45:6; 47:8), a vantage point from which He sees all, knows all, and sustains all (Psalm 139:80; Isaiah 40:28).

“Hallowed be thy name” refers to praising God (Psalm 146:1-2) for His holiness, which is an essential component of any prayer (Psalm 72:15-19). We recognize the Name of God and of Lord Jesus Christ as the Name above all Names, and the only Name by which we may be saved (Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 10:13). All will one day honor His Name by confessing that He is Lord (Romans 14:11) – how much better to do it now, in loving prayer, than to defy Him until we are forced to face Him in terror of His judgment!

“Thy will be done in earth” should also be included in every prayer, for the purpose of prayer is not to change God’s mind, but to bring our desires in alignment with His perfect will (Proverbs 3:5-6; Luke 22:42). Because He possesses all knowledge of all things past, present and future (Psalm 139:1-12), and because of His complete, self-sacrificing love for us (John 15:13; Jeremiah 31:3), His will for our lives is always perfect, even when we don’t like it or can’t understand it (Isaiah 55:9).

“As it is in heaven” sets the absolute standard by which to gauge circumstances. In Heaven there is no pain, suffering, sorrow, aging, sickness, death, or sin (Revelation 7:17; 21:4). Our prayer should acknowledge that God’s will for us on earth is perfect, just as Scripture tells us that His will being done in Heaven results in the perfection found there.

“Give us this day our daily bread” reflects the perfect gifts our Father freely gives us (Matthew 7:11). We do not pay for these gifts, work for them, or barter for them, any more than we can earn God’s freely given gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). He will provide for us if we ask Him daily for what we need each day. Like the manna with which God fed the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16), God’s blessings cannot be hoarded or stored, for His compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” If we repent of our sins by asking God’s forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9) and to separate us from our sins as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). But in light of His great mercy and forgiveness, which He extends to all of us even though it was our sins that crucified Him, He desires that we forgive others in return (Matthew 18:15-35). This is possible only through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which is why we must pray for the power to forgive by yielding to Him (Ephesians 4:20-32).

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:” Scripture promises that God cannot tempt us with evil (James 1:13), and that whenever we are tempted, He will always provide a way for us to escape the temptation so that we do not sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). Resisting evil (James 4:7) and fleeing from temptation are not innate characteristics because of our sin nature (Romans 5:12), but are desired and can be accomplished only by yielding to the Holy Spirit. Praying to Our Father, in Jesus’ Name, through the power of the Holy Spirit, gives us the victory in the spiritual battle we fight daily (Ephesians 6:10-18).

“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.” To God be the glory, for He reigns supreme, and will allow us to rule with Him in the Millennial Kingdom! (Revelation 20:4,6). He alone is the source of all power, so He alone deserves our praise and can answer our prayers.

Praise God that no matter what our earthly father is or was like, we are His child and He is our perfect Heavenly Father. May we honor Him daily with our praise and prayers!

© 2018 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

A Father’s Legacy of Faith

When we consider the story of how God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac to God on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-19), we typically view it as an example of Abraham’s great faith. Yet this test proved Isaac’s faith to be just as strong.

Isaac was the child of promise, whom God had promised to Abram and Sarah when they were very old and had no children. Even more amazing, this would be the child through whom Abraham (his new name) would be the father of a great nation, in whom all would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3), with descendants as innumerable as grains of sand on the seashore or stars in the sky (Genesis 22:17).

Sarah laughed when she heard that they would have a child, for she was aged and barren (Genesis 18:10-15). She had grown weary of waiting for God to allow her to conceive, and took matters into her own hands by persuading Abraham to have relations with her handmaid Hagar (Genesis 16:1-8).

Sadly, Abraham acquiesced, and Ishmael was born from that illicit union. This lapse in faith proved not only that Abraham was human, subject to the same weaknesses as all of us (Romans 3:23), but also that God can and will use those who love and trust him, even when they have gone astray as Abram had done several times before  (Genesis 12:10-20).

But every choice has its consequences. The birth of Ishmael caused strife not only in Abram’s own household, particularly after Isaac was born to Sarah as God had promised, but also engendered constant warring between the great nations born of Abraham’s offspring – Israel and the Muslim nations (Genesis 16:8-12).

Nonetheless, Abraham was a man of great faith in the One True God, which I believe is the greatest legacy a father can pass on to his children (Ephesians 6:4). His faith began when God first spoke to him, asking him to leave behind his home, pagan beliefs, and seat of power to journey through the wilderness (Genesis 12:1-3). God spoke of the Promised Land and said he would lead Abram there, and make of him a great nation (Genesis 12:1-7).

What amazing faith it took to trust God to do this when Abram had no idea where he was going or how long it would take to get there! But even that faith pales in comparison with what happened later. God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, and to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain of Moriah that God would later specify (Genesis 22:1-19).

What must have raced through Abraham’s mind, and how must his heart have ached as he heard this! There was no mistaking God’s command. He specified “his only son” Isaac, making it clear that he referred to the child of His promise, and not the illegitimate son born through the weakness of Abraham’s flesh.

God clearly knew how much Abraham loved Isaac, making His command all the more repugnant and incomprehensible. Any loving parent would rebel at sacrificing their child, and most would even be willing to sacrifice their own life to spare that of their child, if they had the opportunity. Yet God was asking Abraham to lay Isaac on the altar, slay him with a knife, and then set his body on fire!

God’s command seemed to fly in the face of His very nature, which cannot change (Hebrews 13:8), as He later would forbid child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5). His own Son loved little children and held them up as an example of the type of faith needed to enter His kingdom (Matthew 19:14; 18:3). Abraham did not have the benefit of knowing this, yet he believed that God would keep His promise to make him the father of a great nation, which could only happen through Isaac.

Abraham’s faith is clear in his detailed obedience by getting up early for the journey, saddling and loading his ass, taking two companions for the trip, and bringing the wood for the burnt offering. He traveled for three days, and must have had to silence whatever doubts and fears gnawed at his soul as he resolutely headed for the mountain (Genesis 22:1-4).

At the base of the mountain, Abraham told his companions to stay there with the ass, and reassured them that he – and Isaac – would return after they had worshipped God (v. 5). What faith he showed to trust that God would somehow spare Isaac’s life!

Then it was only Abraham and Isaac ascending the mountain. The father carried the fire and knife, and the son bore the heavy burden of the wood to be used for his own funeral pyre. It foreshadowed Jesus struggling under the weight of the cross that would be the cruel instrument of His death (John 19:17).

Finally Isaac voiced the question that must have been troubling him, and to which he already knew the answer – where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (v. 6-7).

At this point Isaac was a strong young man, and his feeble father more than a centenarian. Isaac’s faith must have been just as great as Abraham’s faith, to obey God to the point of death, just as God’s only begotten Son Jesus would millennia later (Philippians 2:8). That type of faith is not born in a vacuum (2 Timothy 1:5), but from the living faith Isaac saw daily in his father Abraham.

Almost as if trying to convince himself, Abraham told Isaac that God Himself would provide the burnt offering. A man of lesser faith than Isaac would no doubt be tempted to escape as Abraham prepared the altar and wood, or to wrestle free as his father laid him on the altar and then raised the knife to slay Him  (Genesis 22:8-10).

Yet Isaac held fast without complaint or struggle, submitting himself to God’s mercy, just as Jesus did when He was led as a sheep to the slaughter to pay the debt for our sin (Isaiah 53:5-7).

God rewarded the faith of father and son by sparing Isaac’s life, sending the angel of the Lord to keep Abraham from harming Isaac (Genesis 22:11-19). This test proved through their obedience and submission to God’s will that not only Abraham, but also Isaac, feared and trusted God. This came as no surprise to God, Who knows all things (Psalm 139:1-6), but it must have been an amazing confirmation to both men of God’s faithfulness and of their own faith.

God rewarded them further by providing a ram for the offering and by expanding upon His promise:

“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”  (Genesis 22:17-18).

All nations would be blessed through Jesus Christ, Who would be born to the house of Abraham (Matthew 1:1-17) and be the Savior of all who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

But Abraham’s legacy of faith did not stop with Isaac. His firstborn son Jacob, later renamed Israel because his faith was so great that he spent all night wrestling with God until He promised to bless him (Genesis 32:24-30), gave rise to the great nation of the same name, God’s chosen people. When Isaac was on his deathbed, Jacob acknowledged that his God was the God of his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham (Genesis 32:9).

Similarly, when Israel was on his deathbed, he blessed each of his twelve sons, progenitors of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. These included Joseph, himself a great example of faith in God working all things together for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Israel described Joseph as blessed “by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above” (Genesis 49:25).

As God had promised, the lineage of the Messiah would stem from Abraham’s seed, namely through Israel’s son Judah, direct ancestor of Jesus, Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), from whom the scepter of kingship and the lawgiver would not depart (Genesis 49:10).

On Father’s Day, we honor our earthly fathers and thank our Heavenly Father for their Godly influence and other blessings on our life. May our earthly fathers bless their children with the greatest legacy – the gift of faith in our  Lord Jesus Christ! 

© 2021 Laurie Collett