Our Father …
Summary: There is meaning in the very first word of the Lord’s Prayer. God wants us to be thinking about Him first, and then our neighbors as ourselves. As we turn our focus to our Father in heaven, this prayer prompts us to remember God’s priorities.
I confess I am feeling like I am in over my head on this project. It sounded simple enough when I started. “Write about the Lord’s Prayer” was the thought that came to mind. How hard could it be?
We started almost three weeks ago looking at the person who gave us this prayer: our Lord Jesus Christ. He spent three years teaching the people he created about their God. He showed them his power; he showed them love, and he was faithful to the Father throughout his time on earth.
Having refreshed our memories about who Jesus is, we spent a few days looking at how and why we should pray. As we see throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clarifies God’s will for us by showing us the “do’s” and “don’t’s” of prayer.
Finally, we took a few days to look at some visual concepts that help us understand our relationship with God and why we are the way we are.
Today, we begin our study of the prayer itself.
During my meditations on this prayer over many months, my attention was drawn to phrases, and then to individual words. This prayer begins with the words, “Our Father…” and that seems like a great place to start. Yet, I wondered why it begins with “Our Father” and not “My Father.”
Some people have concluded that the “our” in “Our Father” is plural because the prayer (they say) was intended to be used as a group prayer.
Is this true?
If we look back at Jesus’ instructions on “How To Pray,” we see Jesus telling his disciples, “… when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” (Matthew 6:6) We are to pray in secret so we are not “seen by others” (Matthew 6:5). So I don’t think the “group prayer” theory holds water.
Again I ask, why would Jesus tell me to go into a room by myself and begin my prayer with “Our Father…?”
The answer can be found in what Jesus called the second “Greatest Commandment.” Jesus tells us, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). God wants us to be mindful of our neighbors, even in our private prayers with our Father.
“Our Father” is the first step when we pray to God. By beginning with the word “our” we cannot focus on “me.”
Imagine coming into God’s presence full of “ME” thoughts! Father, what about ME?! Does that sound like the kind of attitude that a child of God is supposed to have? If the greatest commandments are to love God and love others, where do we get off focusing on ME?
I think the answer is that we don’t.
So many times I have begun my prayers with “Father, I…”
“Father, I need something.”
“Father, I want something.”
“Father, I hurt.”
These are legitimate prayers in their own way. They are an expression of where we are when we pray them. Yet they do not reflect God’s desire that we love him first and love others as ourselves. So when we come before him and pray as Jesus taught us to pray, we being with, “Our Father.”
Application: Pray the Lord’s prayer in a quiet place today and listen to the first words as you pray.
Food for Thought: How do the words we use impact our thinking?
More often than not, the words we use reveal the condition of our heart. “I can’t get this stupid thing to work” carries with it more than “The flashlight won’t turn on.”
Luke 6: 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
I believe too that Jesus using the word “Our” instead of “My” is to keep us mindful that we are in a family. Not just saying the word “our” but being mindful when you open prayer with God, that you bring with you thoughts and concerns of those in your life. Today’s devotion is a great reminder of this.
Ephesians 5: 8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Chris,
You bring to mind Matthew 5:14 —
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”
My “cartoon brain” is picturing God looking down at me wondering why his “light of the world” ™ flashlight isn’t working. 🙂
Words do matter. The words “Our Father” may be the most significant and shocking in this prayer. I think the “our” shows that the Father is Father to all who believe in Jesus. He is not just Jesus’ Father, but our Father as well. The word Father is even more astounding. Jews might pray to the Ancient of Days, Creator, etc., but would never have dreamed of personalizing the prayer by calling God their Father. This shows a deep personal nature to our prayers – not only to us but to God.
Rich,
Your comment reminds me of John 3 where Jesus explains to Nicodemus that people need to be “born again” of the Spirit (John 3: 5-8). When we are spiritually reborn, we become children of the Father.
Amen brother
10-25-2022, Matthew, 22:38, How do the words we use impact our thinking?
Are our thoughts the product of our words or our words the product of our thoughts?
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.
Genesis 3:6-7
David watched Bathsheba and allowed sin to grow in his heart, then he acted by calling her to him. His thinking controlled his words and deeds.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Matthew 15:19
The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 12:35-37
A thought comes before an act, sin starts in the mind, the heart, before an act is committed or a word is spoken. Acts and words are both outward manifestations of an inward condition. A public revealing of a decision or choice already made within.
Ron,
I agree that words can manifest what is already in the heart, but sometimes words can be used to re-shape what is in the heart.
That said, Dale Carnegie once said, “Act as if you were already happy and that will tend to make you happy.” I wonder if we can apply the same principle to becoming more Christlike? If I use the words Jesus told me to use in prayer, will that help me conform to God’s will for me?
Sorry Brother, but on this one I have to stay with Jesus.
Scripture commands us to not use words lightly, but to make sure that they reflect the Holy Spirit who indwells in us. We have to be a light to the world – and one way we do that is by not using the same crass language that the world does.
According to psychologist Dale Carnegie, religion and belief in a higher power is a powerful buffer against worries and stresses of life. Even if you don’t subscribe to traditional religion, you can still find a higher power and a type of prayer. Your prayers might look like: meditation, journaling, writing messages in bottles, or simply speaking them aloud to the universe.
Prayer spurs action. If you’re asking for an answer to your prayers, you’ll naturally start making changes in your life that will help bring the prayer to fruition.
For example, if you pray that your unemployment ends, you’ll likely start applying for more jobs and more actively trying to make connections within your network.
Luke 6:43-45, Matthew 15:35-37
No problem, Ron.
I am not going to let words get in the way of anything. What we shoot for here is a deeper understanding of the Word. To clarify, I am not promoting Dale Carnegie as an authority. 🙂
Also, I wouldn’t want to go against what Jesus tells us to do!
I think we are mostly on the same page here.
So do I Jeff! Thanks, Ron.
It’s been said that, we become what we think about,..
So my thought about using Our Father even in the closet with the door shut, I feel Jesus is reminding us that God is and always will be His Father first and foremost. We are not to be leaving Jesus out of our prayers to The Father since we need to be going through Jesus to get to God anyway, we may as well be starting with Jesus in the beginning of the prayer and as well as at the end because it should all be in His name that I am even able to pray to God.
If it weren’t for Jesus being there with me when I pray, my prayer’s may not reach the ear of God. That’s just my take on it anyway,
You certainly got me thinking on this one,.. thanks for taking this one on! Keep smiling,..
John,
I’m so glad you are willing to think with me!!
I really like your take on this: Yes, we are praying with Jesus and through Jesus. The “our” makes total sense when we look at it that way.
Thank you!!