Matthew 7:9 & 10 ” This, then, is how you should pray: “‘ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'”
” Our Father in Heaven”… This part is the first stumbling block we have to overcome. As parents, we set the “spiritual track” for our kids to follow. If in raising them they feel valued by us, then it is easier for them to accept that God values them, and the concept of God being a “Father” is reachable. However if we came short of ” filling their cup,” then they will find it difficult to relate and believe that God values them. ” If my parents who gave me life, do not interact with me or value me, then how can I believe that God, who is distant and I cannot see, believe that He values me?” If you question this, then look at your own life. How were you raised, and what is your relationship to God? Is He a task master, teacher, coach or a Father? Many of us do not even know what a “father” looks like. Girls on the street call their pimp “daddy,” a disgracing use for “dad.” When we read “Father” as a description for God, what does that mean? Is He loving or stern, is He interested in you, or is He too busy? If you struggle in believing that God truly loves you, that you matter, the breakdown is not with God but with your rearing, or a life changing event where God came out as the “bad guy.” And for your parents who were unable to instill worth or value in you, it was because their parents did not instill worth or value in them and the problem just keeps going back. That all must end, we must take ownership of what we have been given, as well as what we have not been given, and stop the poison from going into future generations.
Some of us have been given more, and some less, but God is the equalizer of all things. No matter how deep the chasm, He can fill it. No matter how far the distance, He can reach it. ” Though I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall guide me, your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say , “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become as night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139:9-12) and ” For God so loved ” you” (the world) that He gave his only son (Jesus as ransom for our sin, which separates us from Him) that whoever would believe (trust Him) would not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Whatever the “dysfunction, ” however deep the pain or fear, there is remedy and healing in understanding God as “Father.” It will take work, but it is work that is life changing. Study the scriptures that speak of His love and care, purchase a ” Bible Promise booklet” so the scriptures are readily available. Your soul may reject the verses at first, but continuance in the meditation of these scriptures and prayerfully dealing with the hurts that arise, and healing will come. These verses will unlock the heart that fears to believe and the soul that hesitates to open up again. Joy can come, peace and security can be known, in knowing God as Father.
To all who know him as Father, “Hallowed or Holy” is His name. To cry out “Father,” and know you have audience with the “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords” is to live that life that we have been called to live. And as His sons or daughters, to seek “your Kingdom come” is to bring an expression of the hope found in Him – in everything you do. How awesome is that? Further to seek “His Kingdom come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven” is to safeguard your soul from so many traps of this world. What power will materialism have over such a life? What temptations can rule in a life that seeks for “His will to be done?” In living out this verse we protect ourselves, we abide in the power of the Holy Spirit and we bring a sincere witness of “God’s Life” to those whom we love and care for. We will fall, sure, just like a child learning to walk, but do not be discouraged or defeated, rather re – focus on abiding in Him and trust in this promise Psalms 37:23 & 24 “The steps of a good man (or woman) are established by The Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for The Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” What a neat promise to keep taped to the bathroom mirror, or to the dashboard of your car. What an encouraging verse to think on first thing in the morning, or in your car coming home from a particularly hard day. The more we store up God’s Word in us, the more it will become a reality and a forward moving influence in our lives.
Father God,
All of life is work, so why do we believe that growing in faith should just come? You say to study the scriptures as faithful sons or daughters, and to store your word in us so that we sin not against You. This is a fair request. We study for our worldly career, we study material to do our jobs, why would the most important thing in all of life not require ” due diligence” as well? It is You that makes alive the spirit, but we put ourselves ” in class” to listen. Help us to be good students of your Graces. Thank you and Amen
Move forward in His Grace – Arthur
