By Michael Koontz
Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman
Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5,11-13,19-22
Learning the truth that God is our Heavenly Father brings a wonderful understanding that He cares for us. Ancient (false) Greek gods were seen as a group who had to be appeased at all times and didn’t have the best interest of the human race in mind.
The One True God, our Father, has our best interest in mind. That God the Son would instruct us to pray in this way, using the term ‘Father’, teaches us truths that will help our relationship grow with our Heavenly Father. The term Father speaks, among other things, of the parent/child relationship and unselfishness.
As we pray, we address God as our Father. A term that establishes the parent/child relationship. What a blessing we are given at the moment of our salvation to call God our Father! This is an exclusive relationship because God is not the Father to the unconverted. John 8:44 speaks of the fact that the devil is the father to the unrepentant. As you and I call God our Father it reminds us that we are a part of His intimate family.
My earthly father, Kenny as others called him, was a very special relationship to me. He was an excellent father who loved his wife and two sons. He provided for us as children and as adults. He accepted my wife into the family as if she had always been a Koontz and his own daughter. That’s how God accepts us (II Corinthians 6:18).
Whereas I don’t do so well as a father, God never fails. My relationship with my Heavenly Father should actually be sweeter than the great relationship I had with my earthly father.
My Heavenly Father exercises unselfish love. I John 3:1 says “See what kind of love the Father has given to us”. As I mentioned, my earthly father was a provider and giver to his family and even with many outside the family. He was an example of sharing what God had blessed him with. God has shown to us His unselfishness in numerous ways. Number one being the gift of salvation through His Son Jesus. Because of faith in Jesus, we are God’s children (Galatians 3:26).
The literal sacrifice of God’s only Son, who was without sin, given for us. We might struggle in sharing something of little value with others. Praise God He did not hold back what we needed but did not deserve!
Prayer is a mighty tool at our disposal anytime day or night. Unlike a call center that is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday through Friday, our Heavenly Father never turns off our access to Him.
Billy Graham said “Prayer is one of our greatest privileges as believers; make it part of your life every day. It should be as natural as eating and sleeping — and as necessary.” No wonder the Bible tells us to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).”
Love others to Jesus so that they can experience the object of our prayers!
