Fifth Monday of Eastertide

5/11/2020

Introductory Note: ‘Our Father’

God’s Easter people – raised up by God’s love and grace into new life in the resurrection of Jesus Christ – are also God the Father’s children, adopted by the Father into His family by His love and grace. God is our Father. We are as beloved and adored by Him as His only begotten Son is beloved and adored by Him.

“The Spirit you received,” writes Paul, “does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”

Therefore, we do not approach God, our Father, in cowering fear and anxiety like slaves before a tyrant, nor do we insolently, presumptuously toss our demands at the divine errand boy to pick up and run with.

On the contrary, as His children, we love our Abba, Father; and we are in awe of Him, too. He is great and mighty and we are small and pitiful. He is rich and majestic and we are needy and poor. He is wise and deep and we are foolish and of little consequence.

C.S. Lewis gives us something of an idea of the awe-inspiring nature of God in a literary exchange between Susan Pevensey and Mr. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion,” said Mr. Beaver.

“Ooh” said Susan. “I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver ... “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you!”

Jesus teaches us to begin our prayer with ‘Our Father’ so that we know to approach God in the same way that a child approaches her father, namely, with humility, dependence, awe, love, confidence, dear intimacy, and warm belonging.

Catechism

Heidelberg Catechism

120 Q. Why did Jesus command us to call God ‘our Father’?
A. At the beginning of our prayerChrist wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayer – the childlike awe and trust that God through Christ as become our Father. Our fathers do not refuse us the things of this life; God our Father will even less refuse to give us what we ask in faith.

Westminster Larger Catechism

186. Q. What does the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer (contained in these words, ‘Our Father which art in heaven,’) teaches us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and our interest therein; with reverence, and all other childlike dispositions, heavenly affections, and due apprehensions of his sovereign power, majesty, and gracious condescension: as also, to pray with and for others.

Gospel Reading:Matthew 18:2-4

“Jesus called a little child to his side and set him on his feet in the middle of them all. “Believe me,” he said, “unless you change your whole outlook and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. It is the man who can be as humble as this little child who is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.”

Meditation “Our Father”

What is your conception of God? How do you approach God in your quiet times, your prayers, worship, and obedience? What do your attitudes and habits toward prayer reveal about your relationship with God? Intimately or distantly? Respectfully or frivolously? Devotionally or transactionally?

Jesus teaches us to address and consider God as ‘our Father’ at the outset of our prayer. We are to be like children before our heavenly Father. In Matthew 18, Jesus explicitly says, “Unless you change your whole attitude and outlook and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

What are children like that we should become like them in our relationship with God? Generally speaking, small children are humble, trusting, dependent, obedient, reverent, admiring, and loving toward their fathers. Do these attributes describe your relationship with your Heavenly Father? Your prayers to your Heavenly Father?

Meditate on one thing that you can say, (like the humble, grateful child that you are), “Thank you, Father.”

Reflect on one thing that you can say, (like the awed and delighted child that you are), “All praise and glory and honor be to you, Father!”

Consider one thing that you can say, (like the contrite and repentant child that you are), “I’m sorry, Father; please forgive me.”

Ponder one thing that you can say, (like the dependent, loving child that you are), “Father, I need you today. Please provide me with all that I need.”

Amen

Cloud of Witnesses

“The attention at the beginning of these petitions is on the exaltation of God and His concerns. In the initial phrases of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus fixes our gaze not on ourselves but on God.”

– R.C. Sproul

“If Christ has been given us, if we are called to his discipleship we are given all things, literally _all_ things. He will see to it that they are added unto us. If we follow Jesus and look only to His righteousness, we are in his hands and under the protection of Him and His Father. And if we are in communion with the Father, nought can harm us. God will help us in the hour of need, and He knows our needs.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“[T]he knowledge of the Fatherhood of God, the revelation of His infinite Fatherliness in our hearts; the faith in the infinite love that gives us His Son and His Spirit to make us children, is indeed the secret of prayer in spirit and truth. This is the new and living way Christ opened up for us. To have Christ the Son, and The Spirit of the Son, dwelling within us, and revealing the Father, this makes us true, spiritual worshippers.”

– Andrew Murray

“It is only the words "Our Father" that make the prayer bearable. If God is indeed something like a father, then as something like children maybe we can risk approaching him anyway.”

– Frederick Buechner

Mustard Seed Theology (for our littlest people)

Note to parents: Teach your child that God is his wonderful heavenly Father. God is like his earthly father only perfect in every way.

In explaining this truth to you child, it will help to make comparisons between dad and God: Dad is strong, but God is far stronger. Dad is smart, but God is far smarter. Dad loves his children, but God loves them ever so much more. And so on.

Then, contrast dad with God: Dad sometimes makes mistakes; but God is always wise and good; dad sometimes loses his temper, but God is always perfectly calm and under control; dad sometimes isn’t fair, but God always does what is perfectly right and just. And so on.

Here are some simple prayers with which your child can come to her Heavenly Father throughout the day and night, (similar to those suggested above):

Good morning, God. I love you!

Thank you, God.

I’m sorry, God; please forgive me.

Help me, God.

As you say, God.

You are awesome, God!

Mustard Seed Truth: God hears our prayers in the same way that a father listens to the voice of his cherished child.

Mustard Seed Scripture: 1 John 5: “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.”

Morning Prayer: 1st Century Prayer from Syrian Clementine Liturgy.

O God, Who art the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings, and the bestower of affection, Who sendest peace to those that receive it; open to us this day the sea of Thy love, and water us with the plenteous streams from the riches of Thy grace. Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace. Enkindle in us the fire of Thy love; sow in us Thy fear; strengthen our weakness by Thy power; bind us closely to Thee and to each other in one firm bond of unity; for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Fifth Monday of Eastertide

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