Text- Matthew 6:9 – “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
The title, "Father" paints different pictures to different individuals. For some, when they hear, "father", it evokes awesome memories and great joy. For others though, absence and/or rejection are the hallmarks of the kind of fathering they have experienced.
Being that some people have been exposed to bad fathering, it does not suffice to say that God is our father. Emphasis must be laid on the fact that He is a good and perfect father. Your life will be totally transformed if you can fully grasp the fact that you are God’s child, and more importantly that He is a good father.
In the past few days, we have seen that God’s love for you is deep and unique. He genuinely cares for you, and He is committed to supplying all your needs. Another great thing about “our Father who art in heaven” is that He protects us from all harm.
Remember the three specific things in “The Lord’s prayer”, that we are to expect from our father:
1. Give us this day… (He supplies our needs, already discussed) 2. Forgive us our trespasses (an expression of His love, already discussed) 3. Deliver us from evil
“Deliver us from evil”… Jesus would not tell us to ask something from God, that He is not capable of doing! If He told us to ask God for it, it means God is committed to doing it.
Daily, we hear of disasters here are there – hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, etc. Then comes all the dangerous diseases and myriads of evil we can think of. To worsen matters, there are many enemies, known and unknown; physical and spiritual… Little wonder the Psalmist said, “If not for the Lord who was on our side” (Psalm 124)
In March 2016, Netizens were agog over the picture of Shaun Cunningham, who was captured stretching out his arm to protect his 9 year old son, Landon from imminent danger when a straying baseball bat was about to hit his face during the spring training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves.
Later on, when Landon was interviewed about the incident, he told the reporters, “As long as I’m with my dad, I’m OK”… Oh, what a confidence! No wonder he was totally engrossed with his Dad’s phone as the whole event played out.
If the instinct of an earthly father is strong enough to put his hands in harm’s way in order to protect his son from a projectile, how much more will our father who art in heaven do?
Furthermore, if a 9 year old boy can be fully confident in the ability and willingness of his earthly father to protect him at all times, how much more should we rely and trust in our heavenly father who is all-powerful!
The 91st Psalm is one of the most popular of all the Psalms. It is filled with numerous depictions of God as our protector – He is called such names as refuge, shelter and dwelling place, an avenger and a savior.
Beloved, God is committed to protect, defend, shield, deliver, save and avenge you at all times. He is your father who art in heaven!
PRAYER My Father who art in heaven, I rely on you absolutely as my refuge, my shelter and dwelling place. Daily as I live, deliver me from all evil in Jesus Name.
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