Week 1, Saturday: “In Heaven” – God’s Majesty and Transcendence
Scripture: “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…’” (Matthew 6:9)
As we come to the close of this first week of Lent, we pause to reflect on the phrase “in heaven”—a reminder of God’s majesty and transcendence. While “Our Father” speaks of intimacy and closeness, “in heaven” expands our vision to behold God’s holiness and glory, far above our human limitations. This balance of intimacy and majesty is at the heart of our faith, inviting us to approach God with both confidence and reverence.
To speak of God as being “in heaven” is to affirm that God is not confined by the brokenness of this world. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). This transcendence is a source of hope, especially when the weight of life’s troubles feels overwhelming. God’s sovereignty assures us that no situation is beyond His power to redeem. The One who created the stars and calls them by name is the same God who hears our prayers.
In the Anglican tradition, the liturgy captures this balance beautifully, inviting us to “lift up our hearts” in worship that acknowledges both God’s nearness and His holiness. The sanctity of the Eucharist, the beauty of the Psalms, and the reverence of the prayers all point us to the reality of a God who reigns in heaven yet draws near to earth. The rhythm of our worship—both the grandeur of liturgical prayers and the quietness of personal devotion—teaches us to hold these two truths in tension: God is with us, and God is above us.
However, acknowledging God’s transcendence also challenges us to surrender control. In a world that urges us to grasp power and certainty, the phrase “in heaven” reminds us that God’s kingdom operates on a different plane—one where humility, faith, and obedience are the pathways to true strength. Trusting in God’s majesty means being willing to accept that we do not have all the answers and that our understanding is limited.
Adding some Franciscan insight…
For St. Francis of Assisi, the majesty of God was most profoundly encountered in creation—the sun, moon, stars, and all living things bearing witness to God’s glory. His Canticle of the Creatures celebrates the transcendence of God not as a distant ruler but as a loving Father whose beauty and power are reflected in the world around us. This perspective invites us to see God’s heavenly majesty revealed on earth, not in palaces of gold but in the simplicity of nature and the humility of Christ.
Francis’ life reminds us that God’s transcendence is not a call to escape the world but to see it rightly—to recognize the Creator’s fingerprints in every leaf, bird, and sunset. In this way, the phrase “in heaven” becomes a reminder that the world is full of God’s glory, if only we have eyes to see. As Franciscans often pray, “May You be praised, my Lord, for all that You have made.”
To honour God’s majesty, then, is also to live lightly on the earth, embracing simplicity, humility, and gratitude. It challenges us to care for creation as stewards of a world that speaks of God’s glory.
This Lenten season, let us seek to hold both a reverence for God’s transcendence and a love for the world He has made, following the example of Francis, who saw heaven reflected in the earth.
Reflection Questions:
- How does seeing God’s majesty in creation deepen your understanding of “in heaven”?
- In what ways can simplicity and gratitude help you live in awe of God’s transcendence this Lent?
- How can you reflect God’s glory through humility and care for creation?
Prayer:
Almighty and Eternal God, whose throne is in heaven yet whose love reaches down to us, open our eyes to behold Your glory. Teach us to trust in Your power and surrender our need for control. Lift our hearts to worship You in spirit and in truth, that we may walk humbly and confidently in the light of Your majesty. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.