OUR FATHER WHO MADE ALL THINGS
From Psalm 33;
Unto the Lord, sing joyfully
Make music to His name
On harps and lyres play skillfully
To Him who all things made
We wait in hope for our help and shield
In Him our hearts rejoice
For we trust in His holy name
May His love ever be with us
The word of God is right and true
The earth's full of His love
He promised He'd make all things new
He's faithful in all he does
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OUR FATHER WHO HEARS OUR PRAYERS
From Psalm 44 and Psalm 88;
Rise up oh God and rescue us
Because of Your unfailing love
For it is not by our strength Oh God
But by Your arm and Your light
You are the God who saved us
We call to You every day
May our requests come before You
Lord hear us when we pray
In God we boast all day long
We lift our hearts together
In God we boast in joyful song
We will praise Your name forever
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OUR FATHER WHO REQUIRES SINCERE OBEDIENCE
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that had vexed him so he demanded an interpretation of the dream from the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers who served in his court.
The astrologers asked the king to tell them what the dream was about so that they could render an interpretation.
The king, responding to the request for a description of his dream, refused to tell it to them because he reasoned that whatever power the astrologers were going to invoke to interprete the dream would necessarily have to have access to the dream itself and therefore, failure to correctly identify the dream would be proof that their claim to have the ability to interprete dreams was fraudulent and thus punishable by death.
The astrologers, taken aback by the demand, again asked for the dream and the king's response is captured this way in the book of Daniel chapter 2 verses 8 - 9;
Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided:
If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”
King Nebuchadnezzar, determined to get a legitimate interpretation of his dream, put the entire court of astrologers, magicians, enchanters and sorcerers into a crisis by pronouncing a death sentence over them if they failed to tell him his dream and its meaning.
Sometimes, when asked to do something by the Lord that we are reluctant to undertake, we sometimes drag our feet hoping that the delay will allow time for the situation to change and we can be let of the hook.
We avoid fulfilling the obligation quickly so that we can potentially get out of needing to execute the requirements without directly refusing to do so.
However, if Nebudchanezzar was able to perceive the motives of his astrologers and pronounce judgement on them, then the Lord is certainly able to detect the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and knows whether our responses are sincere. He is able to judge us accordingly.
Let us be prompt in fulfilling our obligations to the Lord and avoid slow- walking any of the requirements laid upon us.
As Deutronomy chapter 23 verse 21 says;
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.
Amen.
OUR FATHER WHO GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
Psalm chapter 71 verses 10 - 11 says this;
For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.
They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.”
This passage is part of a Psalm that in many ways sounds like the words of the Lord Jesus when He contended with the political, religious and spiritual enemies towards the end of His earthly ministry.
These two verses foretel the time in Jesus' life when the pharisees and other religious leaders were plotting together in order to discredit Him and kill Him. They even paid Judas 30 pieces of silver to help them find Him and identify Him.
During the time of Jesus' ministry, His enemies saw that His organization was small and because they felt that they had grounds to accuse him of blaspheme, they concluded that He could be easily disposed of with no repercussions.
The psassage, in verse 11, foretels their reasoning, this way;
They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.”
Jesus, to fulfil what He had been sent to do, gave Himself into the hands of those were conspiring to kill Him and they proceeded to have Him, an entirely sinless man, executed as a criminal and thus in this manner He died to pay for the sins of the whole world.
Amen.
OUR FATHER WHO IS THE JUDGE
The book of Ecclesiates chapter 11 verse 10 says this;
So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.
Aimed at those who are in their youth, this verse counsels us to remember that the energy and drive of youth are fleeting and in fact will be the basis on which we will be judged by God and so we would be wise to keep away from angst and stress.
As well, we must not obsessively concern ourselves with our physical appearance and health for these things, when measured against the backdrop of eternity, are meaningless.
Amen.
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OUR FATHER WHO GIVES COUNSEL TO WHOMEVER ASKS
The book of Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verses 10 - 11 says this;
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
The writer of Ecclessiastes, having reflected earlier on the fate of all men whether rich or poor, good or bad, clean or unclean, concluded that they all end up in the same place from which no one is exempt namely, death, which renders all our activities meaningless.
However, in this passage, he counsels that inspite of the certain fate we all face, whatever we find to do while we live on the earth, we should do it with all our strength and all our vigor because we can do these things only while we live. Once we cross into the realm of the dead, there is no work, no plans, no knowledge and no wisdom.
In considering the fate of mankind, the writer advises that, whatever our advantages are in this world, the swift, the strong, the wise, the brilliant and learned are subject to the same vagaries of time and chance as everyone else.
Amen.
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