Welcome!
Today: One family under God our father!
Passage: Eph 3, Prov 1
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. (Eph 3, NIV 84)
Apostle Paul authored so many epistles. Yet he found so much time to pray!
What makes us so busy that we can’t pray enough?
When we pray, do we mean what we pray, or we just fill the time with repetitions and the regular by-heart words that no longer come from our heart?
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Mat 6, NIV 84)-emphasis added
Sadly, the prayers of many people fall into the above (babbling) category
God was more than pleased to be called “Abba, Father”, instead of retaining His title(s) as God or King; God wants to relate to us closer/intimately
We can use the language that a son/daughter uses while talking to the father, when we talk to God. But Remember, God is God!
Paul says that he kneels down before the father
There was a time we used to sit on the floor and pray
But now, we got promoted (?) we sit on our comfortable couches and pray
It is O.K to kneel down and pray, regardless. Though the mental posture is more important than the physical, we should be free to kneel down, if we feel so
We have a father; we are part of a big family
“Home” is not about the house we live in; it is about the people we live with
More than anybody else, if God is there and he is the head, it is a true home!
It is more about the relationship than the residence
When God is the head of the house, there is a standard, the word of God
We come together as a family, for prayer. It should not be just a ritual where we sing some songs and read a portion from Bible and then each person prays. It will be better and meaningful, to have a discussion/reflection on what we read, so that the word makes an impact on our lives
Thank God for this great family, of which we are part of
The many friends we have in Christ are our family. We may be in different places/churches/denominations, but if we call the Almighty God “Abba, father” and we mean it, if the word of God is our true guide, we are one family
The family of God is probably bigger than we thought; yet each person is special!
God bless us through this week
BG
Prayer: Father God, we love you. Thank you for being our father, so that we are privileged to be the sons and daughters of the almighty God; the King of kings and the Lord of lords. In Jesus’ name; Amen
Proverbs for today: Prov 1 (verses from NIV 84)
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools[a] despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, (emphasis added)