We have a Family Feast day the second Sunday of every month. I cook a big meal and whoever in our family can come shows up. They can bring food if they want, but we often have leftovers, and the most often repeated phrase is “I ate too much.”
Yesterday we doubled it and celebrated our youngest son’s birthday. He blew out candles and opened gifts. After that we did another tradition—a few hands of a highly competitive card game that leaves most of us exhilarated or exhausted, depending on where our score winds up and if we stood while racing to play our cards. If anyone could hear the sound track without the picture, they might call the police or the funny farm.
After everyone left, I washed a mountain of dishes (my dishwasher died), and curled up with a great book for a few hours. Today I feel good, content. It isn’t that ‘all’s right in the world’ or even in my world, but rest and laughter tend to thwart discouragement. I’m ready for Monday.
Today my devotional reading again reminds me of the importance of both prayer and family, particularly the family of God. It offers the familiar, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”
How many times have I said this prayer without thinking of what it says? How often without noticing that the pronouns are plural?
Our. We who believe in Jesus and have been adopted into the family of God can call Him Father, and indeed, we are told to do so when we pray, yet in our prayer we are supposed to remember that we come to Him as family members, as children who not only need God but each other. Teasing and banter is okay, but never should we think this family is unimportant.
Father. It’s a good word, at least it is supposed to be a good word. Today, saying ‘Father’ might make some people choke, or fill them with anger, but maybe in those days fathers didn’t abuse their children. Maybe this word made those who prayed feel close to God, comforted by His presence—just as they were by the nearness of their own dads.
Personally, I’ve no problematic connotations with the word “Father” but Jesus did add “who is in heaven” to this prayer, knowing that a distinction might be necessary. This Father is not the father here on earth. He is totally dependable, totally loving, totally concerned that we be blessed and cared for as His children. He is also in heaven, in perfection, perfect Himself, and all-powerful. He sovereignly rules this world. We are talking to our Father, but also the CEO of the entire universe.
Hallowed. This word is not normal to my vocabulary. My Bible dictionary says, “to make holy, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate . . . .” Respect Him, worship Him, lift up the name of the Lord as one who is ‘other than’ ourselves, who is pure and wonderful.
I may come to Him saying “Abba (Daddy)” but never with such familiarity that I forget He is not only the Head of this family, but absolute purity and holiness, the One whom I worship.
Yesterday around the table, our family teased their dad, joked about his score in a game, and chuckled when he dropped his cards, but I noticed the difference between their attitude toward him and the banter they have with one another. While imperfect, respect is there.
My prayer today is that they show far more respect to our heavenly Father. I want them to know that He supplies their daily bread, their every need, and cares for them far more than their dad and mother ever could here on earth. I want them to realize also that being in the family of God means a far greater blessing than anything they enjoy in this one.
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