Bible Verses About Marriage
Five Minutes in the Bible for Men
Our Father which art in heaven… Matthew 6:9 KJV
This wonderful model of prayer begins with this adoration of God: Our Father which art in heaven…
God tenderly invites us to believe that He is truly our Father, and we are truly His children, so we may ask of Him in all cheerfulness and confidence, as dear children ask of their dear father. James 4:2 states, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” As any loving Father, God wants us to boldly approach His throne and commit our requests, our adoration, our thanks, and supplications to Him in the form of prayer.
E.M. Bounds expressed it so simply when he wrote:
God is always within call it is true; His ear is ever attentive to the cry of His child, but we can never get to know Him if we use the vehicle of prayer as we use the telephone — for a few words of hurried conversation. Intimacy requires development. We can never know God as it is our privilege to know Him by brief repetitions that are requests of personal favors and nothing more. That is not the way in which we can come into communication with heaven’s King. We try many ways to cope with the many stresses of life. Often we escape into work, leisure time, body toning, and exercise, and even many kinds of addictions. Often these escapes look like a way to survive, but behaviors turned to as responses to stress — even those with religious trappings — are not the solution. God Himself is the only one who can direct us to live life as He meant it to be.
Because God is so near to us, we can approach Him in a very personal way. When we open our prayer with the phrase, “Our Father,” we acknowledge that the answers of life lie beyond our abilities, our looks, our social position, and our economic status.
We admit that our might is not enough to live the fullest life that God intended for us. We have to be very brave to admit we need someone bigger than we are. But we can call upon the Father in confidence, knowing that we are His children and that He hears us.
We gain strength and confidence when we call on God by name and admit that we need Him for our every need and that we are helpless without Him.
As men, one of the most difficult recognition is that we need help from someone greater than we are. Our culture has taught us well (but in error) that we are capable to control our own destiny. Only when we humble ourselves can we truly understand what this life is all about. Don’t wait until you are in a moment of stress that your heart turns heavenly. Prepare yourself first, then face your disappointments. Only then will you be able to cope with the pitfalls of life.
Prayer: Father God, give me the courage to trust in You for all that life will toss at me. I want to be ready and prepared to face these difficulties as I meet them. Amen.
Insights: Is God enough? For you? Your marriage?
Action: Begin a daily routine of reading God’s Word each day. Store it in your heart for that rainy day.
Copyright © Bob Barnes, published by Harvest House Publishers. Used with Permission.
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