Thoughts for Life: OUR FATHER

John Blase- "Most mornings I recite the Lord's Prayer. I'm not worth much for the new day until I've grounded myself in those words. Recently I'd said only the first two words—"Our Father"— when my phone rang.

It startled me as it was 5:43 a.m. Guess who? The phone display read "Dad." Before I had a chance to answer, the call quickly ended. I guess my dad had called by mistake. Sure enough, he had. Random coincidence? (Google image, The Lord's Prayer)

Maybe, but I believe we live in a world awash in the mercy of God. That particular day I needed that reassurance of our Father's persence.

Think about that for a minute. Of all the ways Jesus could have taught His disciples to begin their prayers, He chose those two words—"Our Father" (Matt. 6:9) as the starting point. Random? No, Jesus was never less than intentional with His words. We all have different relationships with our earthly fahters—some good, some far less than that.

However, praying in the way we should is not addressing "my" father or "your" father, but "our" Father, the one who sees us and hears us, and who knows what we need before we even ask Him (v.8).

What an amazing reassurance, especially on those days when we might feel forgotten, alone, abandoned, or simply just not worth much. Remember, regardless of where we are and what time of day or night it might be, our Father in heaven is always near.

Let's pray-

Father, thank You for Your promise to hear us when we pray, regardless of where we may be, and what time of day or night it is. As Jesus was intentional with His words to His disciples as to how to pray, we are to address You as Our Father, too.

May we pray this prayer daily as we remember that Your presence is with us at all times, and in every place we may find ourselves. In the name of Jesus, we pray today. Amen

776-780 one-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

776- Pro. 14:30 "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones."

777- Ps. 84:5 "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them."

778- Pro. 21:29 "A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way."

779- Ps. 64:10 "The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory."

780- Pro. 2:7 "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly."

Quote for today-

~ Rev. Kyle Norman- There is never a moment where God is not at work at our lives. The Lord never goes on vacation, never takes a leave. As David himself affirms in Psalm 121, the Lord who watches over us never slumbers or sleeps. To realize this biblical fact is to realize that much of the Lord’s work in our lives goes on behind the scenes, in the regular spaces of the day. As we go about our lives, whether it be in the fields, the classrooms, or the workspaces, we do so in the presence of God. What is more, interwoven into each of our lives, is the silent working of God’s hand.

Words of wisdom-

- We don't have to have a huge thing or a huge healing need, but just make a move towards Jesus in faith and watch Him move! He offers hope, as He's conquered the world, and He can help us conquer any painful situation! This is aproven fact!

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

Today's Popular post-

Who Knows?

Poh Fang Chia- According to Chinese legend, when Sai Weng lost one of his prized horses, his neighbor expressed sorrow for his loss. But Sai Weng was unconcerned. He said, "Who knows if it may be a good thing for me?"

Upcoming posts:

9/17- Jesus Wants Your Tonka Truck

Kyle Norman

24th- Ask And You Shall Receive

Lisa Pluth

10/1- Hope Cuts Through Storms

Dixon Xochitl

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)

Pages

Prayer for salvation

For God Seekers- Healing Thoughts and Prayers

Samples of Jean's crafts

http://twitter.com/jeanoathout