Our Father Who Art in Heaven.
What does this mean?   With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.

One of my favorite hymns is Of the Father’s Love Begotten.  It is a serene hymn that recounts God the Father’s greatest gift to mankind—his Son, Jesus.  The second verse of the hymn contains the haunting words,

O that birth forever blessed, when the Virgin full of grace,

By the Holy Ghost conceiving bore the Savior of our race.

And the Babe, the world’s redeemer first revealed his sacred face.

Ever more and ever more.

The hymn describes the unsurpassed love the Eternal Father has for his ultimate creation, humanity.  Love compelled him to give his only begotten Son to a world forever lost in the utter darkness of our sin-filled world.

Forgiveness is the hallmark of our Father’s love. Through him, forgiveness was given to all humanity on the cross of suffering and redemption born by Jesus.  The forgiveness of the Father is yours. Embrace it as your Father in heaven intends.