the very first word, ‘Father’, Jesus invites us to call the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, Father. Jesus invites us into the same relationship with God which he himself enjoys.
We need to remember that in much of the Jewish tradition and in other religions, God is seen as all powerful and mighty. In Judaism, God is seen to be so holy that his name could not even be said out loud. But Jesus encourages his disciples to address God simply, in a familiar way, as part of his family, as Father. In doing that we find our place in the universe.
Where do we fit into the created order? Did this beautiful world come about by chance? Our place in the universe is as children of our Father in heaven. We are not atoms floating in a sea of chaos or chance. The universe is not about randomness but relationship. We are created in God’s image and likeness. We are made to know God and enjoy God for ever. To say ‘Our Father in heaven’ is to stand by faith in the whole of that world view.
Humanity has turned away from God our creator and we have not lived in relationship with God. But God has sent us his Son. Jesus comes to us so that we can call God ‘Father’. Through the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus we can know God as Father. The words of the prayer are only possible because of the one who gives us the prayer.
What difference does the ‘Our’ make in ‘Our Father’? Again, it is about finding our place in the universe. Every time we say this prayer, we remember that we are connected not only vertically to God but horizontally to others.
If you pray this prayer, you are part of a family. Does Jesus mean us to pray as though we are part of one big family of the entire human race? Or does he mean us to pray as though we are part of his own family – the Christian Church – the family of the disciples.
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