When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He replied:
“This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Mathew 6:9-13
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
This is probably the most well known prayer in history. Even non-believer’s know it, or have at the very least heard it. It’s so familiar, in fact, that many people recite the words without contemplating their power and importance. This prayer was given to us by Jesus Himself, so we ought to pay special attention to it. We should meditate on these words.
My original plan for this post was to go through The Lord’s Prayer, line by line, and share my thoughts. I didn’t get very far. In fact, I only made it through the first two words, “Our Father.”
What does the word “father” mean to you?
What’s your dad like? Perhaps you have a great dad, and the word father elicits warm feelings and puts a smile on your face. Maybe your dad was never a part of your life, and the word feels hollow. Or maybe your dad is a horrible monster, and the word brings out nothing but anger and pain.
Set aside your father for a moment, and think about what constitutes a good father. A good father is a protector, provider, and mentor. He doesn’t give his kids everything they want, but he tries to give them everything they need. He sets boundaries, and he disciplines his children when they wander outside them. He’s quick to encourage, and careful with criticism. He does everything in his power to help his kids develop their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. A good father wants what is best for his kids.
Whatever attributes make up a good father, God possesses them to the infinite degree. He’s not just a good father, He’s the perfect father.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Mathew 7:9-11
An unbelievable privilege.
It’s impossible to fathom just how far beneath God we really are. Think about the difference between yourself and an amoeba, then scale that up… that might put us in the ballpark. Amazingly, God raises us up and lowers Himself to the point that we can have a parent/child relationship with Him.
The Lord’s Prayer could easily have begun, “Our Creator…” or “Our King…”. Either of those would have been true and appropriate. Instead, Jesus invites us to address God in an intimate and personal way: as Father.
Consider this passage in I John:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
I John 3:1a
As a Christian, you are a child of God. It didn’t have to be that way, but God made it so because He loves you. What an incredible honor!
Our responsibility.
Along with our awesome privilege comes an awesome responsibility. As God’s children, we are ambassadors of His Kingdom, and we should act the part. Jesus showed us how. He is the example of how we are to conduct ourselves in this world.
This is no easy task. In fact, it’s impossible in and of ourselves. When Jesus walked this earth, He was humble, forgiving, loving, and selfless. He loved even his enemies. He did the Father’s will, no matter what. His heart was a servant’s heart. Everything that Jesus did runs counter to our selfish, sinful nature.
And yet, as God’s children, we are called to be like Jesus. This requires complete surrender to His will. We have to die to self, daily, and let Christ live in and through us. None of us gets it right all the time. We stumble, we fall, but our Father helps us to our feet again.
So don’t give up the struggle. Take your privilege and responsibility as a child of God seriously. And never forget that our Father loves you, He is with you, and He wants the very best for you.
