Read: Matthew 6:5-15, John 20:11-18.  

 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”  Matthew 6:9 

Join me in amazement that our Lord Jesus has invited us to call God, “Our Father.” We have a Father in heaven. Do we understand the meaning of this? Do we grasp the importance of this reality?  

We are nothing without God. We can do nothing of any value without God. Life has no meaning if we ignore this reality. We sing that song, “I Have Someone to Thank.” Just where would you turn if thoughts of gratitude overwhelmed your soul, and there was no one to thank? Here we would be in this glorious world, situated in a most glorious universe, of billions of galaxies; so much to see, so much to learn, and then with grateful hearts we have no one to thank.  

The God who created all things by the word of His mouth, He who holds all this in His hand, wants us to call Him “Father.” How can this be? It is because of His great love for us – the love that His son Jesus showed so wonderfully in His suffering and death for our sins. When Jesus met Mary there in the garden, after He had arisen, He told her to go to his brethren, and say unto them, “I ascend unto my Father and to your Father; and to my God, and your God.”  

Jesus was not afraid to call us His brothers. So if His Father is our Father, we can appeal to our Father along with Him. Think about this. The glorious, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy God, Creator of all things, is my Father.  

I have no greater joy than to call upon Him as Father.  

~James Baer