The Approach to Prayer (2)

In our last installment, we looked at the first two principles on how we are to approach prayer: the reason and posture in Ephesians 3:14-15: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

Third, there is the object of prayer, that is, to whom we pray. It is vital that we understand more than anything else, that God is a Father. This is best illustrated in “The Model Prayer” (Matt. 6:9‑13). The first guideline of prayer is that we pray to “Our Father, Who art in heaven.” We often think of God as “The Sovereign Being,” “The Omnipotent One,” “The Savior of the World,” and several other titles and names. But His “Fatherhood” is to be emphasized above all when speaking of personal relationship. In the Model Prayer, and its immediate context, God is referred to as “Father” five times (vs. 9, 14, 15, 18). This is extremely important for us to see. Above all other relationships, God is a Father.

Tragically, by Jesus’ day, the Jews lost sight of the intimacy of relationship between God and His people. God’s Fatherhood was thought of more in terms of His over‑all care for Israel; the intimacy of personal relationship was gone. It even became blasphemous to mention His name—Yahweh.

Jesus’ use of Father, however, brought back the intimacy of personal relationship. Romans 8:15 tells us: “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” “Adoption” means “son‑placing.” The use of this word here reminds us of the word “our” in the Model Prayer, as both picture the family relationship. “Abba” (used also in Mk. 14:36 and Gal. 4:6) is an Aramaic word used among Jews as the familiar term children used to their father. In fact, it is used even today in Hebrew speaking families. An unfortunate English equivalent that has been popularized today is “Daddy.” As we studied back in 2:19b (Chapter 18), this term has taken on a too sentimental tone and has given way to a somewhat “buddy‑buddy” relationship with God. More precisely it means, “My father,” “Father, my Father” or, “Dear Father,” which emphasize the necessity of reverence. There can be little doubt that Jesus used this word in His Model Prayer. The Greek patēr is used to translate the Aramaic abba. And we know for a fact that He used the term in Gethsemane—“Abba, Father” (Mk. 14:36).

So, when Jesus said “Our Father,” this was without doubt a stunning shock to the Jews who heard it. They were reintroduced to the fact that God is a caring, loving, and personal Father; they were reintroduced to the fact that man can have a personal relationship with God. This thought leads to another.

So, the significance of praying to the Father is that it: (1) indicates a personal relationship; (2) indicates the peace, hope, trust, and belonging that a father gives; (2) indicates the watch‑care, provision, and protection a father gives, and (4) indicates our submission and obedience.

In closing, we should point out that some say that the best description of God is not a Father because some people have had a terrible earthly father, which therefore, gives a terrible picture of God. But this isn't God’s fault! It’s not God’s fault that man has perverted the father‑child relationship  If we may put it this way: just because a man sires a child, that doesn't make him a father. Oh yes, in the world’s eyes he is a father, but not in God’s. The term father goes deeper than just the physical meaning. God has given us the picture of a true father by giving us the characteristics of how he deals with us. It is, therefore, up to every man to conform to the image of fatherhood God has given.

Dear Friend, do you have the right approach to prayer? Do you have the right reason, the right posture, and the right object?