In December 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met LeBron James, the most famous basketball player in the US. Despite the fact that one of his nicknames is “King James,” he is in fact not royalty, and protocol demanded that he should not touch the Duke or Duchess. Not knowing this, LeBron put his arm around the couple and posed for a photograph. This was a shocking break in decorum for some, but the royal couple seemed comfortable and shared that they enjoyed meeting “King” James.
As strange as it seems, there’s something similar but far more profound in the Lord’s Prayer. The prayer begins simply enough, with Jesus saying “Our Father in heaven.” But we should recognize that Jews of that time didn’t pray directly to God as their father—instead, they referred to God as the God of their forefathers, of Abraham and Isaac, as Jacob prayed in Genesis 32:9: “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O LORD . . .” There was a sense of separation in the way they called out to God.
But Jesus revealed that we don’t pray to God because He’s the God of our forefathers, but because He’s our Father. This would have been a shocking revelation of intimacy for the disciples—they could speak with God in a closer way! This intimate portrayal is reinforced elsewhere in Jesus’ teachings, especially when He described God as being the wonderful Father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
Before I pray, I like to remind myself of the fact that I’m not only communicating with the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, but the God who is my Father. The power of prayer, then, is not so much in how we pray, but to whom we pray—our heavenly Father!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 2:14-40
More:
Read John 17:20-23 to see how Jesus prayed that we might share the same relationship with God the Father that He enjoys—one of intimacy, love, and unity.
Next:
When you pray to God, do you see Him in an intimate light? If not, what prevents you from praying to Him in this more personal way?
Gary Shultz on October 8, 2015 at 6:06 am
It is a wonderful thing that we can pray to God our Father. I’m also glad He is in heaven and He is holy. He has always wanted to be close to us and He had the power and plan to bring that opportunity back that was lost in the garden. We now chose if we want to move to a God who has opened the doors of heaven to us on earth. Thanks
Tom Felten on October 8, 2015 at 8:50 am
Some people have kind, loving fathers. Others do not. But it’s truly a blessing and incredible gift to know a that the perfect, loving heavenly Father knows us and walks with us!
jim spillane on October 8, 2015 at 11:13 am
Very true Gary, He is our Father, yours and mine. But in the spirit of unity, I think it’s important to note that Christ used the word “our” and not “my” when He gave the apostles this simple but effective prayer. He is the Father of all of us.