Our Father

Some of us have had fathers who let us down. Some of us, when we think about fathers, think only of disappointment or pain. But God is not an approximation of our earthly fathers. We have a heavenly Father. Even the finest moments of the best earthly fathers are only a glimpse of what this Father is to us and for us. He’ll never renege on his love. He’ll never leave us in the dark. He’ll never forget what we told him or what he promised us. He’ll make no mistakes. He’ll never ditch us, even if everyone else has turned their backs on us, and no matter how much we let him down. All of us have tested his patience to limits beyond extreme. And yet still he comes again and again calling out, My daughter. My son. You’re my child. I predestined to adopt you into my family. I made you. I sought you. I bought you. I love you. I’m with you.

A Begg
Pray Big
The Good Book Company
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Loving God

We are meant to love God, not only to believe certain things about him.

DM Lloyd-Jones
Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Vol 1
IVP
p237

The proper way for a man to pray

“The proper way for a man to pray,”
Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
“And the only proper attitude,
Is down upon his knees.”

“No, I should say the way to pray,”
Said Reverend Doctor Wise,
Is standing straight, with outstretched arms,
With rapt and upturned eyes.”

“Oh no, no, no,” said Elder Snow,
“Such posture is too proud:
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
And head contritely bowed.”

“It seems to me one’s hands should be
Astutely clasped in front,
With both thumbs pointed toward the ground,”
Said Reverend Doctor Blunt.

“Last year I fell in Hodgkin’s well
Head first,” said Cyrus Brown,
“With both my heels a-stickin’ up,
And my head a-pointing down;
And I done prayed right there and then
Best prayer I ever said,
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed,
Standing on my head.”

S Fox,
Quoted in A Begg
Pray Big
Good Book Company
p25