Both able and willing
When we pray “Our Father in heaven…” as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:9, those few words contain an amazing wealth of truth. With these words acknowledge that God is both far beyond us and at the same time so preciously near. He’s both the Creator of heaven and earth, and – through faith in Jesus Christ – our Father.
In the last 2000 years, Christians have summarized biblical truth in great creeds and confessions and catechisms (teaching in the form of questions and answers). One of the oldest creeds is the Apostles’ Creed. Centuries later, another great document was written, the Heidelberg Catechism, which unpacks the opening words of the Apostles’ Creed for us. Those words help us to see a bit more of what we say when we pray “Our Father in heaven.” Therefore, I want to commend the following to you, to ponder this week:
Question 26: What do you believe when you say: “I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?”
Answer: That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and all that is in them, and who still upholds and governs them by his eternal counsel and providence, is, for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father.
In him I trust so completely as to have no doubt that he will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul, and will also turn to my good whatever adversity he sends me in this life of sorrow.
He is able to do so as almighty God, and willing also as a faithful Father.
What an amazing God; both able and willing to provide us with all we need! Let’s praise and thank him in our prayers and whole life!
Klaas-Jan Gunnink