[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Wednesday, October 17 2012

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all, and good evening to my fellow North Americans.  How was your day today? Mine was good, by God's matchless grace and His providential care.  I hope that you in the rest of the world are enjoying a pleasant Thursday morning or afternoon.

By now, you all are probably familiar with repeat names for the sermonette articles that have been chosen.  I hope and pray that you are all enjoying them and that you are receiving spiritual food from them.  We have an article here, again by Betty Jane Stepherson, entitled "Hallowed Be Thy Name," rendered as follows:

Jesus said, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name" (Matt. 6:9).

There is a magnet on my refrigerator door that shows a small, pajama-clad child kneeling for his nightly prayers.  Evidently the child does not remember the word "hallowed," or perhaps he does not understand the word.  Instead, he is saying, "Our Father, which art in heaven, how did You know my name?"

It sounds so much like a child being very trusting and honest with God.  And, after all, God tells us we must come to Him as little children.  "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:15).

This entire prayer is a prayer that Jesus gave as an example to the disciples because they were His disciples and had a right to the prayer.  It is only when we become a child of our Father in heaven that we have the right to voice that prayer.

There is an engaging story of an emperor who was making a triumphant march through his city.  The emperor's wife and small boy sat on a platform watching the parade and the celebration.

As the emperor came closer, the little boy jumped down from the platform and started trying to push through the crowd.  Not recognizing him, a legionaire caught the boy and said, "You can't do that, boy.  That's our emperor.  You can't run out to meet him."

The little boy laughed and said joyfully, "He may be your emperor, sir, but he's my father."

That is the way Christians feel about God.  To someone else He may be only God, but to us He is our Father.  His name is hallowed, set apart from every other god.

Only our God is hallowed, holy, and unique.  Only our God was here from the beginning and created heaven and the earth.  Only our God is eternal, having no beginning and no end.

Only our God is trustworthy.  The psalmist wrote, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Ps. 20:7).

I am so glad my Father's name is hallowed.  I am glad, also, that He knows my name.

And there you have it for today.  Hope you enjoyed reading Betty's God-inspired article.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout the night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul