Your Father: Judge of the Universe

Accordingly, when Jesus told His disciples to approach God in prayer as their Father, this involved a radical freeing of His people. It brought with it 5 incredible privileges. God as "Father" meant the following:

• The end of the fear associated with pagan religion where the supplicant approached a capricious being who might kill a loved one if the right words, incantation, or gift were not offered.
• The end of all uncertainty when it came to God's response to our prayer. If an earthly father will spare no effort to help and protect their children, how much more will the heavenly Father love, protect, and help His children (Matthew 7:11; John 10:29; 14:21)?
• The end of all loneliness. If serving Christ means being forsaken by our earthly family, friends, and the rest of the world (which it so often does), we know that our heavenly Father will never leave us or forsake us (cf. John 14:21; cf. Psalm 68:5–6)!
• The end of worldly care. The fact that He is our "Father who [is] in heaven" tells us that all the resources of heaven are available to us when we trust God (cf. Ephesians 1:3)!
• The end of all fear, even when we disobey. Think of the parable of the Prodigal Son and the love that the Father had even for His rebellious, disobedient son (cf. Luke 15)!