Praying To God: Our Father - The Lord's Method Of Prayer

Well, here we are. I'm very excited to begin this study on the "The Lord's Prayer". Now you may be asking why I keep putting the Lord's Prayer in quotes, like in the last post, and why the title is The Lord's Method Of Prayer. You see, the Lord's prayer is not an accurate title. This wasn't a prayer that Jesus prayed, He has no need to ask for forgiveness and He needs no help with temptation. If you want to find a prayer that would be worthy of that title then turn to John 17 where Jesus is praying to the Father just before being arrested. No other person could ever pray that prayer as it's a prayer suited only for our great High Priest. No, this prayer is for us and it was given so that we have a template to help guide us into communion with God. So let's dig in...

 

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." Matthew 6:9 (ESV)


As 'our Father,' we see that this is not a method of prayer for just anyone. This isn't for the lost soul, yearning for an audience with God. It isn't for the heathen looking for forgiveness of his crimes. It isn't for the agnostic whose seeking for answers in a universe as vast as any imagination could ever stretch. This is for the child of God. Only those who have received the adoption as children of God can truly pray this prayer. (John 1:12)

He shows us compassion and love that goes beyond just words. We are calling out to our Father. This is a relationship with a personal loving Father, not just some cosmic deity in the sky who doesn't care for us. He loves us as His children and He cares about all of our needs.

As our Father 'in heaven' He ascends higher than any earthly father ever could. He is majestic and so far above the earth's limitations, changes, frailty, and imperfections. He is able to see beyond our own finite human perceptions to know what is best for us as His children. Childlike familiarity is turned into reverence as our eyes go beyond our earthly surroundings and our hearts are drawn upwards, removed from all our feeble attachments.

As our Father in heaven, 'hallowed be Your name'. He is holy and righteous. We come to our Father with praises on our lips, in awe of His majesty and glory. We bow down before the King and His throne, yet lay at the feet of our loving Father with full assurance of His grace.

He is to be first in our prayers as well as our lives. That is the way all prayer is to begin.


Repent and believe before it's too late