From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public Library, and used by kind permission.
This is a picture of the village of Nazareth, where Jesus lived when he was a boy. When he climbed the hills about the town he had a most beautiful view of the mountains and valleys of Palestine. Looking westward, the waters of the Mediterranean were spread out before him, and he could see the white sails of the passing ships. [End illustration]
Because God is our Father we want to talk with him.
If we have been naughty, we want to tell him how sorry we are.
Sometimes we want to tell him how much we love him.
When people give us gifts, it is polite to say, "thank you."
God gives us gifts, and we should say "thank you," to him.
When we love people we want to talk with them.
If we love God we will want to talk with him.
When we have been naughty to anyone, we are sorry, and we want to say "please forgive me."
When we have been naughty, we ought also to ask God to forgive us.
Would it be right to get up in the morning, and play all day when your father was at home, without saying one word to him?
Is it right, then, to take gifts from your Father in heaven all day long, and not say a word to him?
Talking with our Father in heaven, we call praying.
It is telling him all the things we want to tell a loving father.
[Illustration] JESUS HEALING THE SICK By Heinrich Hofmann
Jesus was rightly called the "Great Physician." In the picture are shown some of the sufferers whom Jesus delighted to help--the poor little child, white and still in its mother's arms, the lame, and the blind. [End illustration]
The prayer which Jesus taught us to pray, begins, "Our Father."
Because God does for us what a good father does for his children.
A good father gets food and clothing, and other things which his children need.
God gets for his children what he sees they need.
A good father wants his children to be good.
A good father will not let his children have what would be bad for them.
God will not let us have what will be bad for us.
When we call God our Father, it is a way of saying, "God loves me, God will take care of me."
"Our Father who art in heaven."--_Matthew 6:9_.
"One is your father, even he who is in heaven."--_Matthew 23:9_.