He is Never Too Busy, J. R. Miller, Daily Bible Readings
in the Life of Christ, 1890 Our Father in Heaven, Matthew 6,
9 This is the golden gate of the temple of prayer. When our
Lord taught His disciples how to pray, it was thus He said
they should begin. They were not to come to infinite
power, or to unknowable mystery, or to inaccessible light. but
to tender fatherhood. This precious name, Father at
the Gateway, makes the approach to God easy and sure. The name Father assures us of
divine love and care. Does a true parent have care
for his child? Much more does our Father in
Heaven care for His children on the earth. He even cares for
the birds, feeding them their daily food. He even cares for
the flowers, weaving with colorful threads the lovely robes which
they wear. He surely cares more for His
children. So the precious name Father assures
us that we shall never be neglected nor overlooked in this great
world. The name Father also gives us
assurance of unhindered access to the Divine Presence, The children
of a great earthly king are not kept waiting at their father's
door as strangers are. Just so, God's children have
perfect liberty in His presence. They can never come at an untimely
hour. He is never too busy to see them
and to listen to their words of love and prayer. In the midst
of the innumerable affairs of the vast universe, He thinks
of his lowliest child. Amid all the confusion and noise
of this great world, he hears and recognizes the faintest cry
that rises from the lips of the least and lowliest of his little
ones. The name Father also interprets
for us the grace and mercy of our God. We are always conscious
of sin. How then can we gain access to
a holy God? Ah, He is our Father! We know
that even an earthly father does not shut the door on his erring
child. The candle is left burning in
the window through the long dark nights, that the wanderer out
in the blackness and longing to return, seeing the bright
beams, may be assured of love and awaiting welcome. Infinitely
more gracious is our Father in heaven.