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Home‎ > ‎Opening the Bible‎ > ‎Matthew‎ > ‎The model prayer‎ > ‎

Our Father (1)

Can one word make a difference?  Not often, but sometimes a single word is significant (think about an answer to a marriage proposal or a verdict from a jury).  Clearly this is the case when the disciples asked Jesus about prayer and He taught them to address God as "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9).

             

Our Father!  That one word forbids membership in the exclusive religion of individualism to which so much of our culture caters.  It rejects all thinking that looks at life from the limited perspective of self and in its place gives us something deeper, richer, and nobler.  It demands that we look at others in such a way that we not draw lines between ourselves and them.  It tells us that we must be in the business of building bridges rather than walls.  It speaks of God as the God of all, not just a few elite individuals.  It is the world in a word.  It sounds a death knell to the thinking that says, “God loves everyone but I’m His favorite.” 

           

There is one God and He is the God of all (Ephesians 4:6; Romans 3:29-30).  “Our Father” says that as I come to Him I must acknowledge this if I am to acknowledge Him.  Our Father also says something about God’s size.  He is big enough to be the God of all.  He is not a tribal god or a local deity; He is the sovereign of the universe.  Our Father says something about His heart.  It’s great enough to love everyone.  Our Father says something about His holiness.  Whatever else holiness is about, it involves this inclusiveness.       

           

Humility should be one of the consequences of this word for us.  Pride is buried by the word Our.  Since we all have the same Father, we’re all family.   If we’re family then though we’re not identical, we’re equal.   No one is better or worse than anyone else.

           

Imagine someone wanting to sell a 2,000 square foot house but instead of advertising it that way, they added an extra '0' so the sign read 20,000 square feet (and priced it accordingly). Who would be fooled by the sign?  No one!  An ordinary house making a spectacular claim.  No one would believe the claim and no one would buy the house.

           

Pride is just like that.  It’s when we overestimate our square footage and think we occupy a larger space than we do (see Romans 12:3).  The Pharisee was under the mistaken impression that he was better than others because of his relationship with God (Luke 18:9,12).  That’s the essence of bad religion.  Our relationship with our Father should work exactly the opposite way and should enhance our connection with all. 

           

That’s the way it worked with the One who taught us to pray, “Our Father.”
 

 

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