The fatherhood of God belongs equally to all his children. Ah, Little-faith! I hear you saying, "If only I had the courage of Great-heart! If only I could wield his sword and stand as valiant as he! But alas, I stumble at every straw, and a shadow makes me afraid."

Listen to me, Little-faith. Great-heart is God's child, and you are God's child too. And Great-heart is not one whit more God's child than you are. Peter and Paul, those highly-favored apostles? They belonged to the family of the Most High. And so do you! The weakest Christian is as much a child of God as the strongest.

As the old hymn declares: "This covenant stands secure, though earth's old pillars bow; the strong, the feeble, and the weak are one in Jesus now."

All the names are in the same family register. One child may have more grace than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart toward all. One may do mighty works and bring more glory to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King's mighty men.

Let this cheer and comfort you when you draw near to God and say, "Our Father."

Yet while this truth comforts us, let us not rest contented with weak faith, but ask, like the apostles, to have it increased. However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we shall reach heaven at last—but we shall not honor our Master much on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace.

If then you would live to Christ's glory and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast out fear.