1/26 Spurgeon Today

“Your heavenly Father.” — Matthew 6:26

God’s people are doubly His children, they are His offspring by creation,
and they are His sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to
call Him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious
word is that. Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If
ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with
authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience
demanded which is most cheerfully rendered — which would not be
withheld even if it might. The obedience which God’s children yield to
Him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as
slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, 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 sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of
mercy — the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of
Him who wields it. Father! — Here is honour and love. How great is a
Father’s love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere
benevolence 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 defence. 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, hath uttered better
music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth
of that word — Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can
demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can
say, “Father.”