Lord’s Day 46: Q&A 120-121: Perfect Father

As we get into the words of the Lord’s Prayer, we of course start with ‘Our Father in Heaven.’ Jesus beckons us into his relationship with God the Father by commanding us to address God as such. Certainly there are many people for whom earthly father figures have distorted the image of what a father truly is, but as with everything in Creation, we can find restoration and redemption in God.

One little callback tidbit that I appreciate in Q&A 121 is that we can ‘expect everything needed for body and soul from God’s almighty power.’ We belong body and soul to Jesus, and we can expect everything we need for body and soul from God’s heavenly power.

Lord’s Day 46

Q&A 120-121

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Brothers and Sisters, we come into this place of worship before our Almighty Father.

People: We trust that he will give us everything that we need, both physically and spiritually.

Leader: For Heavenly Father is enthroned above all.

People: We trust that his ways are higher than ours.

Leader: Come, let us worship our God with reverence, trusting that we will be provided for in this time and always.

CALL TO PRAYER

As we come into this time of prayer, let us come with reverence and trust before our Almighty Father, fully expecting that, as a perfect parent, God will give us everything we need for both our bodies and our souls when we pray to him.

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Heavenly Father, we confess that we oftentimes do not come to you in prayer trusting fully in your providence for us. We confess that we come, not as mature children in need of love and support, but as immature children, demanding you give us what we think we need in the moment. We lament, O God, that our sin-stained world has warped our perception of what you are to us as our perfect Heavenly Father. We lament the ways in which we who are parents have fallen short of your call for our lives. We pray, Father, that you would take those broken images of parents and perfect them in our eyes. Teach us anew, Holy Spirit, to lean on you for everything we need and not to demand that which we want. Show us your ways, O Lord, and give us patience and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

-time of silent confession-

If we can trust at all that our earthly parents, who are fallen sinners like us, will provide for our needs, how much more will our Heavenly Father give us everything we need, both in our bodies and our souls? Brothers and Sisters, in Jesus Christ, God has granted us the forgiveness that we could never achieve on our own. God’s almighty power sustains us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Christ, our sins are forgiven.

Thanks be to God