Thursday, January 27, 2011

Father in Heaven

I've been listening to a series of sermons by Tim Keller on the Lord's prayer, and one of his messages especially touched me. "Father in heaven..." Keller really drove home the difference between the kind of prayer that Jesus was advocating and the kind of prayer that was predominant in his day and age (and is arguably predominant today as well).

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)

If we come to prayer anxiously, it is because we don't realize it is our Father we are speaking to, and when we come to prayer with a set a of demands, it is because we think we're speaking to a business partner rather than a friend. The ability to call on God as Father completely transforms our approach to him. We need not assert ourselves (doing so is really ridiculous when you realize that God is not obligated in any way to us), but we can have an incredible confidence that God hears our prayers with a caring heart. Dad pays attention to the concerns of his kids.

The main scriptures I pulled from were Matthew 6:7-13 and 1 John 3:1.

(hope you enjoy the new instrument...)
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Verse 1: (A F#m D E)
Father in heaven, O what a name
I am invited to call You each day
What wondrous love You lavish on us
That You would call us daughter and son

Refrain:
E/G# A
E/G# A
Give us today our daily bread
E/G# A E
Forgive us all our trespasses
E/G# A E/G# A
And lead us not into temptation
E/G# A E
Heavenly Father, deliver us

Verse 2: (A F#m D E)
Heavenly Father, hallowed be
Your name forever from sea to sea
As in the heavens, Your kingdom come
Here on the earth now, Your will be done

(Refrain)

Ending:
E/G# A E/G# A E/G# A E
Yours is the king- dom, the pow- er, and glory
E/G# A E/G# A E/G# A E
Now and forev- er and ev- er, Amen