Teach Us to Pray Pt. 2
by Brad Spangler
Personal– Our Father in heaven
The foundation of having a rich and robust prayer life begins with the revelation that God is, in fact, personal and knowable. Growing up, I heard God described as “The Man upstairs, or the Big Guy.” Looking back, those descriptions sound more like mafia boss references rather than a loving Heavenly Father. I’ll never forget the first time I heard a worship song referring to God as “Daddy.” I thought to myself, “Can you say that about God?” I didn’t know it at that time, but the word “Abba,” used by Jesus in His prayer, was a term used by children for their father, and it meant something like “daddy” or “papa” today.
When Jesus opened His prayer with the words “Our Father,” this was radical thinking to a first-century Jew, who would not even say the name Yahweh out loud because it was considered too Holy. Traditionally they would replace it with the word Adoni which meant “my Lord.” But Jesus came to reveal God as our Father. So when we pray, we must realize that we are not praying to a distant God who is numb to our situation. Instead, we are praying to our loving Heavenly Father, and He desires to have intimacy with His children.
In John 20:17, after being raised from the dead, Jesus makes a beautiful statement.
John 20:17 NKJV
“Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
If you are a parent with small children, think about your relationship with them. Doesn’t it give you joy when they come to you with open arms? One of my favorite things to do with my own kids is to have them sit on my lap, embrace them, and have a conversation with them. I can only imagine that God the Father wants you to come to Him just like that.
I would be remiss if I did not also point out that Jesus used the possessive adjective “our” before Father. This should remind all of us that, as Christians, we are part of a family. Yes, God is my Father, but He is also your Father, so we should also have times of corporate prayer. This is why gathering together in a local church or a small group is so important. Something special happens when brothers and sisters in Christ come together to lift up their hearts and voices in unison. So what are you waiting for? You can begin to pray by simply talking with your Heavenly Father, and don’t worry about whether or not you’re doing it right. The important thing is that you begin.