OUR FATHER In Heaven

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. Mat 6.9

A young businessman who had recently accepted Christ through a crisis, once told me that he ‘didn’t know how to pray’. He said that he was intimidated because his Christian friends could pray ‘long and fantastic prayers!’ I had to tell him to forget about his friends and learn to talk to God ‘as you would talk to your own father’. Only now, you are talking to ‘your Father in heaven!’

The disciples saw Jesus praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." Dear believer, no one might have taught you to pray, like they did in those days. But don’t be disheartened. You have “The Spirit who helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Rom 8.26). The Spirit also helps you to pray. He also enables you to call God, Abba Father!” (Rom 8.15).

Jesus told the disciples, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Mt 11.27). He came to reveal God our Father to us. Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. He taught them to call on “their Father in heaven” and pray to Him and tell Him the things He taught them to say.

Jesus knew that prayer was the means to be in touch with God His Father. Hence, praying was important to Him. Jesus constantly prayed. He prayed early in the morning, during the day, at night, and at times, all night. It is interesting to note that often Jesus addressed His prayer to ‘the Father’, while in the Old Testament and the New Testament people called on ‘God Almighty’. What a difference! The mention of God inspires awe – fear, but addressing God as our Father endears Him to us and removes all fear. That is why even a child can pray.

How important to you is your prayer? Are you accustomed to praying to the Father regularly? Or do you call on Him only when emergencies turn up or you have some great need? You don’t wait for a crisis to go to your father to talk to him, do you? Prayer is your privilege and honour. It puts you directly in touch with your Father God in heaven - not sermons or even church attendance! I lost my dear father over fifty years ago. I lost my privilege to talk to him. But I will never have to lose touch with my Father in heaven, as long as I have breath to pray. Use the means of prayer and be in touch with your Father, as often as you can. You don’t need time and space to call on Him. But don’t neglect to find a place and the time to pray everyday.

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, thank You for revealing God Almighty as my Father in heaven. Thank You for making prayer as simple as making my requests to my Father. Amen.