The Lord’s Prayer: Part 1

“Therefore, pray…Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9 NLT

We are all familiar with the prayer Jesus taught us, which became known as The Lord’s Prayer. However, do we understand why Jesus wanted us to learn this prayer? For centuries and decades, people have prayed this prayer and recited it as something passed on from generation to generation.

Last summer, in my Bible study group, we broke down each verse of the Lord’s prayer, and the Holy Spirit revealed things that we didn’t know.

For the next couple of days, we will unpack the Lord’s prayer as we do; let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what the Lord wants us to know about Him and the meaning behind His prayer.

“Our Father in heaven.” When we say the word, Father, we immediately acknowledge that we are family and have a special connection with God as we do with our earthly father. When my father was alive, we had a special bond, a relationship that brought comfort, peace, security, and protection, and most importantly, I knew I was loved. I knew I didn’t need to worry about anything while he was with me.

After my father went home with the Lord, I felt lost, abandoned, and unloved. I didn’t realize I had a heavenly Father who loved me more than my earthly father. Through my grief, I began to see God as my Father. I understood how much He loved me because I was His daughter.

Not only is God my Father, but He’s also the source of my strength; He’s my comfort; He hovers over me at all times, especially when I’m hurting, scared, or feeling abandoned and unloved.

“..in heaven..” God lives in heaven and in you and me through the Holy Spirit. What does that mean? Have you ever imagined what heaven is like? Our human mind will never be able to comprehend or imagine what heaven is like. But God’s Word gives us glimpses of life in heaven. It’s pure, holy as He is righteous; there’s no pain or sorrow, no need for the sun because God’s presence brightens the heavens. (See Revelations 21-22)

“..may Your name be kept holy.” Unlike my earthly Father, God is holy. Therefore, I cannot address Him as my equal. My thoughts, words, and actions must honor Him at all times.

Friends, you and I were created in His image. What does that mean? We are supposed to mirror Him in this falling world. How can others see Him if our actions and words don’t reflect Him?

Jesus wanted us to see God as our Father, not a distant God, but a personal God involved in our lives. Through Jesus’s sacrifice and finished work on the cross, we can have a personal relationship with our heavenly Father today and forever.

Father, I am so grateful to come to Your presence at any time, knowing You love me even when I fall short. You are a faithful and loving Father who will never let me down. Who picks me up when I fall, nurtures me when I’m hurting, and disciplines me when needed. Thank you, Lord, for being my Father. Help me, Father, surrender my will to You daily to show the world I am Your daughter. In Jesus’ name, I praise you and give you all the honor and glory.

Reference

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation. (1996). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Foundation.