If we look at the sixth chapter of St. Matthew, we find that God is thus mentioned twelve times by the loving name of "Father." Our Lord Jesus Christ seems to teach us again and again, that we are not too presumptuous in addressing the great God of Heaven and earth as Our Father. To show us how wonderfully God watches over us, and cares for us, He tells us that Our Father sees us in secret, that the good deed, or the kind word unnoticed by men, has been seen by Him, and that He Himself will reward us openly. He teaches us that we need not be afraid to come to God, and lay all our cares and needs before Him, for He knows them all, even before we ask Him. We must forgive any that may have wronged us, either in thought, word, or deed, if we hope that our Heavenly Father will forgive us. But if we are hard-hearted and unforgiving, we are warned that our Heavenly Father will not forgive us our trespasses. We are told not to be careful or troubled about the affairs of this life, our food and clothing, all the small daily cares which often weigh us down more even than greater sorrows. Our Father who feeds the birds, and clothes the flowers, will much more care for us. The winds and waves obey Him, By Him the birds are fed, Much more to us His children Therefore let us remember that nothing is too small, or too insignificant to bring to Him. Let us go to Him like little trustful children to a kind and loving Parent. When we have sinned, let us ask His pardon. Let us arise and go to our Father, like the Prodigal Son, and say, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son"; and He will assuredly forgive us. When we are in trouble of any kind, let us carry it to our Father, He knows all, and He can and will answer our prayers in His own good time and way. When we are anxious about our loved ones, who may be in sorrow, let us ask Him to comfort and guide them aright. If they are in sin we will pray Him to bring them back to His love, and give them true repentance. Whether near or far, present or absent, in life or in death, God can watch over those we commit to His safe keeping. An old proverb says, That which God keeps is well kept." When those we love pass from our sight, and enter the Unseen Land, let us remember that they are in our Father's Hand. After the storms and trials of this life, they have entered the Father's Home, and if they have tried to love and please Him in this life, they rest with Him in peace, in the Haven where they would be. And when we too are called to cross the dark Valley of the Shadow of Death, let us remember that our Father will not leave us alone. Into His Hands we may commend our spirits, feeling sure that He will watch over them in that solemn hour, when all earthly help fails us. As a good man once said, "May the thought of God's Fatherhood, woven into our mind by life's experience, be to us also a stay in the hour when flesh and heart are failing. May the words 'Our Father,' as it has been our encouragement in prayer, be also our support in death." When we say the Lord's Prayer, beginning with the words "Our Father," it reminds us that we are all children of one great family, "high and low, rich and poor, one with another." The same Father made us, and watches over us; the same Saviour loved us, and died for us; the same Blessed Spirit dwells within us, and makes us holy. We are all one in God. Let us therefore look upon all around us as related to us in Him, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who have one Father ought to dwell together in unity as members of one family. Whether we live in large houses or small ones, whether we are rich or poor, it matters not, we are all the same in our Father's sight, if we love Him, and try to keep His Commandments. This life is very short. The time will soon come when there will be no more distinctions between rich and poor, the only difference then will be between those who have served God, and those who have served Him not. All, therefore, depends upon how we use our time here. Let us try to love one another, to speak and feel kindly towards one another. It is hard, very hard, to understand the inequalities of this life. Things sometimes seem to be unfairly distributed, but if we could only see our whole lives, and the lives of others, as God sees them, we should often find that all was more evenly distributed than we imagined. This world is a great school. Every one placed in it has to learn his or her lesson, the rich as much as the poor. The rich have far greater trials than the poor are aware of. Let our great aim be to love one another, and help one another by our words, our deeds, our examples, and our prayers, and so shall we be the children of our Father which is in Heaven, and our lives will be happy if spent in showing towards others the love with which He has loved us. For God giveth each his station, |