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The Way
by Kevin Pauley
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'” - Matthew 6:9-13
The young couple was struggling as they tried to take care of their jobs, their home and their baby. So many important and necessary lessons had either not been taught or not been learned through their high school years and now they felt as though they were the only ones having such a tough time. Decisions flooded them every day from the mundane, ‘how do I get this kid to go to sleep’ to the critical ‘should she keep her job and help maintain a better standard of living or stay home and focus on the baby?’ Their family was far away and was of little help even had they been next door. Their parents had disapproved of the marriage and were keeping their advice and their money to themselves.
Where can such a young couple find help? Oh, they could go down to the local library or bookstore and find whole shelves of books on parenting and marriage, but how do they know which of these books offer sound advice? Dr. Spock offered his advice to a generation of Americans and just about ruined them! Just because a person has a PhD doesn’t mean they are wise.
But they have a person who is willing to help, if only they will turn to him. He is a loving and compassionate father figure who checks in on them constantly even if they don’t realize it. He is old – ancient beyond all comprehension – and has gathered the wisdom of his years in one place for them to access if they wish.
I am speaking of course of Yahweh, God the Father. Have you ever considered that of all the titles He could have chosen for Himself (Majesty, Sovereign Lord, King, Emperor are a few that first come to mind) He chose the simple title Father? What a wonderful role model! Who could be a better parent than God Himself? If we could only determine what He would do in any given parenting situation and then brace ourselves to actually imitate Him, we could hope to not only survive parenthood but thrive in that ever-challenging state.
Consider how God the Father parents. Is He strict? Does He spoil? Is He patient? As you read the Scriptures, try to determine for yourself God’s character and practice. Then try to imitate your Father.
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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