Our Father

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:2

Did you notice something really special?  Something that we just cannot afford to miss?  Our Father!  Our Father.  Not just anyone’s Father, not just Jesus’ Father, but our Father!  The very fact that He is my Father threatens to overwhelm.  The level of intimacy that this speaks of is deeply personal, and not just any Father but a perfect Father.  A Father that never disappoints, hurts, or frustrates, a Father that is ever present and always near, not distant or detached.

Do you remember learning The LORD’s prayer?  It starts with ‘Our Father!’  (Matthew 6:9) As Jesus introduced this new way of praying to His disciples, they would have been surprised.  Surprised at being ushered into the family, surprised at the thought of addressing the Great I Am as Abba Father.  Dearest Father.  Daddy.  It’s a little surprising to me, too, this wonderful invitation to be a part of the family of God.  A family that takes me as I am, encircles me, and beckons me to sit at the feet of our Abba Father.  I love how these two verses remind us that this is no earthly Father, but a Father in heaven.  A heavenly Father, one who is omnipresent.

Like two beautiful bookends, the beginning of The LORD’s prayer and the end start with Praise.  An absolutely appropriate way to begin any time of prayer.  “Hallowed by thy name!” May your name, Abba Father, always be glorified.  The word ‘hallowed’ means treated as holy, dedicated, consecrated, set apart, sanctified.  We praise You, Father, as You are a holy God. When we think of praising His name, we are giving praise to the nature and very character of God, His reputation, His goodness, His love.  That right there is the very essence of glorifying God’s name.  He is set apart, different from us, and as such, His name needs to be treated with reverence, never leaving our lips in any other way, respected.

Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Those who know your name, who know your character, who know your goodness, who deep down inside have experienced your love, they trust you.  We can know someone’s name and not ‘know’ them.  But we know the living God, Our Father, and so we trust Him.

As you begin your day, your time of prayer, as you sit at the feet of your Father today, start with Praise, glorify His name, worship your Abba Father – He is worthy of it all!

Reflections

1.  Do you truly approach God as YOUR Father, or do you still feel distant from Him, removed, and find He is easier to see as God and King rather than your Dad?
2. If God is truly your wonderful and totally perfect Father, what fears, burdens, or uncertainties are you still carrying that you haven’t fully placed into His fatherly care?
3. Where has your Abba Father proven His Father-heart toward you in a personal way?

Step-By-Step

As you start your morning, call God Abba, or My Father. Then stop and take a moment to let that sink in, allow your heart to settle in His presence as His beloved child.