’Father’

‘Father’

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

John 17:1

As Christ approached the Throne of Grace, in this most critical hour, He approached it on the foundation that God was His Father. For all that He was about to request, He had the right to ask on the basis of this tenderest of familial relationships. God is the Perfect Father. He is so concerned for the well-being of His children, that He knows the number of the hairs upon their head, and works all things together for their good. Christ rightly, and completely understood this. He could have approached God on the basis of His Sovereignty, His Righteousness, His Holiness, His Goodness or any other of His attributes. Christ approaches Him on the basis that He is His Father. This is the warmest, and most intimate of relationships. By virtue of our relationship with Christ, we have the same foundation upon which to approach the Throne of Grace. Christ is the Head and we are His Body. Because the Father accepts Him, He also accepts us. We have the added benefit of the perpetual intercession which Christ offers on our behalf. If we would learn to pray as Christ prayed, then we learn first to approach God upon the basis that He is Our Father. As Christ taught us to begin in the Lord’s Prayer, so He shows us how to begin by His Own example. Today, let us approach the Most High God with the simple phrase, ‘Our Father.’

Our Gracious and Kind Father,
we praise You for Christ, Your only Begotten Son.
We rejoice that You receive us as Your Children by adoption,
and accept us upon His merits.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning