.png)
Q 120: Why did Christ command us to call God “our Father”? A: To awaken in us at the very beginning of our prayer what should be basic to our prayer— a childlike reverence and trust that through Christ God has become our Father, and that just as our parents do not refuse us the things of this life, even less will God our Father refuse to give us what we ask in faith. Q 121: Why the words “in heaven”? A: These words teach us not to think of God’s heavenly majesty as something earthly, and to expect everything needed for body and soul from God’s almighty power.
I’m not sure if you regularly use “Father” in your own prayer life when addressing God.
Maybe you just say, “Dear God” or “Dear Jesus.” It might be that you use “Father” so often that you don’t consider much what it means. But it is not without meaning. God is and has always been the Father; it is his nature. He is the perfect Father. That is also to say that God is a person. He is not simply an eternal force. We do not pray to the First Cause or to the Immovable Mover. He is infinite, yes, but also dynamic and personal. He is listening and is responsive.
But something about this prayer of Jesus is more pointed: we are to say, “Our Father.” This is a unique feature of Jesus’ model for prayer in that it directly addressed God as Father. Rabbis regularly taught their disciples a pattern for prayer, but never would they address God in such forward manner. A German theologian, Joachim Jeremias, searched the Old Testament and Rabbinic prayers, and found no cases where God was addressed directly as Father until Jesus did so. But, each of Jesus’ prayers in the New Testament (except one) do address God as Father. Jews did not directly call God their Father, but Jesus flipped that on its head entirely.
Something significant happens in Christ. Through Jesus, we are adopted as children of God. Paul taught clearly what this truth means for us:
“15 …the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8)
“4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” (Ephesians 1)
“6 Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4)
When you pray, call upon your Father. Go to him with “childlike awe and trust” that he is more faithful than even the best earthly father (Matthew 7:9-11). Let your prayer remind you of your adoption. You’ve been chosen out of the deepest love of God and called his child. Bring your heart before him, because your Father is listening.
~ Pastor Tim