January 26, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Your heavenly Father." — Matthew 6:26 · KJV

God's people are doubly His children: His offspring by creation, and His sons by adoption in Christ. So they are privileged to call Him "Our Father which art in heaven." Father! Oh, what a precious word that is. Here is authority: "If I be a Father, where is Mine honor?" If you are sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection joined with authority — an authority that does not provoke rebellion, an obedience demanded that is most cheerfully given, which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience God's children give Him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God like slaves under a taskmaster's lash, but run in the way of His commands because it is your Father's way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father's will, and His will should be the will of His child. Father! Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love that the King's crown is forgotten in the King's face, and His scepter becomes not a rod of iron but a silver scepter of mercy — the scepter itself seems forgotten in the tender hand that wields it. Father! Here is honor and love. How great is a Father's love to His children! What friendship cannot do, and mere kindness will not attempt, a Father's heart and hand must do for His sons. They are His offspring — He must bless them; they are His children — He must show Himself strong in their defense. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this has uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depths of that word — Father! There is all I can ask, all my needs can demand, all my wishes can desire. I have all in all, to all eternity, when I can say, "Father."