Thursday, February 11, 2016 Our Father who art in heaven
Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a
snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then,
though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him Luke
11:11-13
By
using rhetorical questions to characterize the kindness of human fathers, Jesus
heightens the contrast between the earthly parents and God the Father, whose
goodness is infinite. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the best gift of all. The Holy Spirit dwells in the elect, who have
become believers, as in His temple (FC SD XI 73) Jesus concludes this teaching
by urging us to ask for that which God wants to give. [1]
A
basic question, as it pertains to pray, is this, how should we pray? How ought
we to pray? We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus. We pray confidently. We pray
with faith in Him as our Savior and our Redeemer. We pray according to God’s
revealed will. Such is the manner of Jesus’ prayer to His heavenly Father. In
the garden, Jesus prayed, “Father, if You
are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be
done.”-Luke 22:42 The
leper came to Jesus, kneeling before Him said, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” Thus, to pray is to
speak to our Father confidently and faithfully as He directs us from His Word.
John reminds us whenever we approach our Heavenly Father in faith He is willing
to hear us and to act. “This is the
confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His
will He hears us.” – 1 John
5:14
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with
your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all
our works begun continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name,
and, finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.[2]
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