Matthew 6:8-13 ( NKJV )
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
I find it interesting that the first words Jesus spoke after teaching that we should not pray in “vain repetitions” have become the most vainly repeated words of prayer in Christendom. Don’t misunderstand me, I believe it can be valid to pray these words, but to repeat them mindlessly over and over is exactly what Jesus said not to do. What did Jesus mean, then, when He said to pray in this manner. If not to repeat these words, what was their purpose. I believe he was giving us a model prayer. An example of praying that reflects the attitudes and conditions that lead to effectiveness in prayer.
The first words are very important. Our Father. This statement reveals the basis for our prayer life. In human existence one of the most important relationships we can have is with our parents. It is the first relationship we are aware of. Our earthly father determines so many things in life. Even with the deterioration of fatherhood in America, your father still has a great deal to do with who you are.
Who your father is, most often, who determines your name. This relationship determines where you live and your social status. Your father and his name very often determines how you are viewed before you ever start out in life. Your earthly father and his social and financial means will determine, to a great degree, your potential in life. When Jesus starts this prayer with the words, “Our Father” it carries a great deal of impact.
Prayer, for a Christian is a very different thing then it is to a member of any other religion. We are not praying to a distant being who may or may not hear us. We are not praying to someone who, assuming they do hear us, may or may not choose to favor us. We are not His subjects, His people alone or even His worshipers. We are in every way that is important the children of God. We are praying, not just to a God, but to our dear Heavenly Father.
God is the creator of the universe and in that sense the Father of all things, however His relationship to us is very different than that of any other created thing. In Genesis 1:26 God said let us make man in our image. He did not say that about any other part of his creation. He never said that about the angels or any animals. Only man carries this distinction. Is this not the description of children. My children are created in my image. They look like me. They sound like me. They share my DNA. They are the only ones in all the world created in my and my wife’s image. So it is with man.
The Father relationship must be foundational in all prayer. If we do not understand God as our Father we can never really pray. If we don’ t understand that God is a good father we will miss the power of prayer. Let’s look at another verse where Jesus equates the Father with prayer.
Luke 11:11-13 ( NKJV )
If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
This is just after Luke’s account of the “Lords Pray.” Here we see the nature of the Father we are praying to. He will not give us something less than His best for us. I am a father and I know I will do anything for my Children. I try to be a generous person. I try to give to anyone who asks, however when my children ask, that is a different matter entirely. I will lay down my life to meet their needs. In this verse Jesus wants us to understand that God is no different.
However, we must also remember that Jesus did not say my Father, but our Father. I believe I can approach Him on a very personal level. He is my Father, but I am not alone in this relationship. I was blessed with six children and now 12 grandchildren. I am father and grandfather to all of them. When they are alone with me they have my attention, but our family consists of all of us. I would do the same for any of them, and yet we are all connected in this family and what I do for one is really shared by all. Not only that, but I expect all in my family to do for each other as I would do for them.
As you pray today, remember who you are approaching. He is your Father. He is predisposed to give you what you need and even what you want. He is a perfect Father who will not give you anything that will hurt you or be unhealthy for you no matter how much you beg or whine. He will give you everything He said was yours in His word. He will meet every need and take care of you as any true father would.
Remember He is also our Father. You have a family. In your prayer time, remember that you are part of something greater than yourself. It’s not just me and Jesus, it is my Father and His family. As you meditate on these things, let them permeate your prayer life. I believe you will see a real change in your attitude toward prayer and your effectiveness in praying.
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