FATHER.
The Mighty God, the everlasting Father.—Isaiah, ix. 6.
O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.—Isaiah, lxiv. 8.
Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.—Matthew, vi. 9, 10.
We have one Father, even God.—John, viii. 41.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.—James, i. 17.
Father, King, whose heav’nly face
Shines serene upon our race;
Mindful of Thy guardian care,
Slow to punish, prone to spare;
We Thy majesty adore,
We Thy well-known aid implore;
Not in vain Thy aid we call,
Nothing want, for Thou art all!
Source of being, source of light,
With unfading beauties bright;
Thee, when morning greets the skies,
Blushing sweet with humid eyes:
Thee, when soft declining day
Sinks in purple waves away;
Thee, O Parent, will I sing,
To Thy feet my tribute bring!
Wesley.
Father and Friend! Thy light, Thy love,
Beaming through all Thy works we see;
Thy glory gilds the heavens above,
And all the earth is full of Thee.
Thy voice we hear, Thy presence feel,
Whilst Thou, too pure for mortal sight,
Involved in clouds invisible,
Reignest the Lord of life and light.
We know not in what hallowed part
Of the wide heavens Thy throne may be;
But this we know, that where Thou art,
Strength, wisdom, goodness dwell with Thee.
And through the various maze of time,
And through the infinity of space,
We follow Thy career sublime,
And all Thy wondrous footsteps trace.
Thy children shall not faint nor fear,
Sustained by this delightful thought,
Since Thou their God art everywhere,
They cannot be where Thou art not.
Anon.
The Sabbath sun was setting slow,
Amidst the clouds of even;
“Our Father,”—breathed a voice below—
“Father, who art in Heaven!”
Beyond the earth—beyond the cloud—
Those infant words were given;
“Our Father,” angels sang aloud—
“Father, who art in Heaven!”
“Thy kingdom come”—still from the ground,
That childlike voice did pray;
“Thy kingdom come”—God’s hosts resound—
Far up the starry way!
“Thy will be done,”—with little tongue,
That lisping love implores;
“Thy will be done,”—the angelic throng—
Sing from seraphic shores!
“For ever,”—still those lips repeat,
Their closing evening prayer;
“For ever,”—floats in music sweet—
High ’midst the angels there!
Thine be the glory evermore,
From Thee may man ne’er sever;
But every Christian land adore
Jehovah!—God!—for ever!
C. Swain.
One father have we here on earth,
Another up in heaven;
By Him to us the second birth,
And lasting life is given.
Egone.