God created the universe and continues to reign over all things. Paul tells us, “There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live” (1 Cor. 8:6 NLT). In this way, we have all come from God and he is the Father of all. Yet, he is much more than simply our source of life.
How do we approach God?
Consider this: How do we approach God? It can be quite intimidating to approach an all-powerful king of the universe! In the Old Testament, we are told in Exodus 33 that God met with Moses “as one speaks to a friend,” but we also saw that approaching God incorrectly could lead to death! In the temple, the inner chamber was not open to most people and there were strict rules about how you came to God.
So again, how do we approach God? What does Jesus say? One time when Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray (Matt. 6:9), he taught them to begin with, “Our father...” These two words say a lot. That can be intimidating for sure, but Jesus opens the door for us to come to God.
“Our...” First, Jesus reminds us that God has come to all people and joins us together as brothers and sisters. God is not just my personal father, but we come to God together, seeking him with others in community. Jesus continues to say “Our Father...” reminding us that we came from God, but also positioning us in a place of family relationship that everyone understands! God is the king and reigns from a heavenly throne, but when it comes to us, he invites us to approach him like children. Of all the appropriate and lofty titles, he wants us to know him as our father. What a beautiful invitation is in just these two words.
As a father myself, I have a perfect example in God. He showed us the greatest act of love by sending Jesus and demonstrating his love by overcoming death on the cross. May we all love our children like our Father in heaven loves us!
From Peter's Blog: https://peterbales.substack.com.