Matthew 6: 9
From a wonderful book called “The Lord’s Prayer.”
By William Barclay, a renowned Scottish minister.
“IF we believe that God is Father, it settles our relationship to one another. If God is Father, he is Father of all people. The Lord’s Prayer does not teach us to pray My Father; it teaches us to pray Our Father. It is very significant that in the Lord’s Prayer the words I, me and mine never occur; it is true to say that Jesus came to take these words out of life and to put in their place we, us and ours. God is no one’s exclusive possession. The very phrase Our Father involves the elimination of self. The fatherhood of God is the only possible basis of human relationships.
“If we believe that God is Father, it settles our relationship to ourselves. There are times for each and every one of us when we despise and hate ourselves…., and no one knows our unworthiness better than we do ourselves.”
It was suggested to add a new beatitude, “‘Blessed are those who give us back our self-respect.’ That is precisely what God does. In these grim….moments, we can still remind ourselves that, even if we matter to no one else, we matter to God; that in the infinite mercy of God we are of royal lineage, children of the King of Kings.
“If we believe that God is Father, it settles our relationship to God. It is not that it removes the might, majesty and power of God. It is not that it makes God any the less God; but it makes that might, and majesty, and power approachable for us.”
“It is extraordinary how seldom Jesus used the word Father in regard to God. Mark’s gospel is the earliest gospel, and is therefore the nearest thing we will ever have to an actual report of all that Jesus said and did; and in Mark’s gospel Jesus calls God Father only six times, and never outside the circle of the disciples. To Jesus, the word Father was so sacred that he could hardly bear to use it; and he could never use it except among those who had grasped something of what it meant.”
(Barclay).
Mm Wonderful insight into parenthood. Thank you!
Thank you Pam for this lovely post about everyone’s true Father!
Thank you Pam for reminding us that God is the father of us all. Everyone in the whole world.
Love OUR family, ourselves and our Father Mother God. Fantastic!
Thanks
Duffy