Kingdom Comeনমুনা

PRAYER:

God, I am grateful that you allow me to call you Heavenly Father. Thank you for loving me and wanting me close to you. 

READING:

When Jesus’s disciples ask him to teach them how to pray, he gives this example. In many ways, we can use this prayer as a road map for how we can approach our own prayer life. One of the most profound lessons Jesus teaches through this prayer is found in the first two words, “Our Father.”

By using the word “Father,” Jesus is defining the kind of relationship we can have with God. This was a huge shift for his first-century, Jewish followers. It was not common to approach the almighty God with language so familiar and intimate. But maybe that was Jesus’s point.

If we think of God as our heavenly boss or heavenly example, or even our heavenly friend, then our prayer life will be shaped in a radically different way. These titles bring expectations and limitations to the relationship. 

Imagine an employee walking into their boss’s office and making a request. There would be a certain tone to the interaction, a deference and respect. Now, imagine the boss’s five-year-old daughter coming into the room to ask for a piece of candy. She would approach him in a completely different way, perhaps even jumping onto his lap and making her request with confidence. Why would one person act differently from the other? It’s a different relationship. The kind of relationship you have determines the level of access and intimacy. 

That’s why Jesus's words are so profound. When he tells us to pray “Our Father,” he is making a radical statement about the kind of relationship we can have with God. Through Jesus, we’ve been adopted into the family of God, and we can approach with confidence as we are invited into a relationship defined by access and intimacy.

(Not everyone had the privilege of growing up with a loving father who prioritized their feelings and needs. For some, it can be hurtful to connect their idea of “father” to their relationship with God. There may be a long journey of healing ahead before you can use that name for God with assurance of his love. But do not let those hurts distract you from the main point Jesus is making by using the word “Father”—that you can approach God with confidence within a relationship of access and intimacy. God is not confined to the limits and wounds of our earthly fathers. He loves you as a perfect Father.)

REFLECTION:

A relationship with God is one defined by access, intimacy, and confidence. Let that sink in. How extraordinary it is that through Jesus it’s possible to have that kind of relationship with God!

Take a few moments and journal through the following questions. As you write, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how God desires to have a close relationship with you, his child. 

What does your current relationship with God look like? Is there any area of your heart or life you are hesitant to trust him with? What would it look like to approach the Father with full confidence that he loves you and wants you close?