This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Matthew 6:9 NABRE
Jesus provides a model for His disciples on how to pray. Jesus’ tells us that we should not use many words praying to God, God already knows what we need and why we are praying. So in teaching us how to pray Jesus focuses us on the Father and our relationship with Him, then each other. Jesus’ prayer begins “Our Father,” naming God specifically as our Father. Prior to Jesus’ incarnation followers may not recognize God as their Father; He is divine, maybe even demanding but any kind of personal, familial relationship was not obvious. Jesus declares we are family, immediately and clearly in His prayer. We continue, to hallow God’s name, which is not to make it holy, God’s name is holy, so holy in fact many Jews will not speak God’s name, it is too holy for their lips. Declaring God’s name hallow we are acknowledging we know God’s name is holy, we believe in His holy name. God tells us His name when asked by Moses, “God replied to Moses: I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14) We begin the prayer saying “your name,” declaring to God we know His name and therefore by knowing God’s name in biblical language we know God. In the first line of the prayer we declare God Father, whose name is holy and whose name we know. We saying to God knowing you we want you to know we are yours.
Jesus’ prayer points to God first. In all things we do God should be our first source and also the first one we thank. We speak to our Father, the one who loves us and wants us to live full and joy filled lives. Depending on our Father we give ourselves a great chance to spend eternity saying, Our Father.
Do you know God? Have you prayed Jesus prayer?
We speak to our Father, the one who loves us and wants us to live full and joy filled lives. Depending on our Father we give ourselves a great chance to spend eternity saying, Our Father. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #prayer #name #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways