The LORD’s Prayer, Part 3: Our Father
2024-09-03
From here, let us look at the text of the LORD’s prayer. The first words: “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9).
Surely, this is how we may address God. God is our Father. For the world that does not know Christ, God is the avenging enemy against the ungodly. But now that we know Christ, we are God’s children and know Him. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). Born again by the perfect Word of God, we were born into His kingdom and into His family. Because of Christ, we have every right to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). It is since this rebirth that we may come to God.
With this comes myriad emotions. There is a sense of warmth and security, yet also wonder and amazement, yet also fear and humility. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
But we are His children, and the Father has authority over the children. He is the master of the household, and we are here for Him. Likewise, if you had an evil father in this world, do not let that experience tarnish this perfect divine relationship. If there were a perfect father-son relationship this side of the sun, that is still merely an inferior picture of our born-again Father-son relationship.
We come to our Father because He first had a perfect love toward us.