Our Father

“This, then, is how you should pray:

         ‘Our Father in heaven,

         hallowed be your name.’ ”                                        Matt. 6.9

Jesus has been speaking to His disciples about prayer. He tells them not to go babbling on like heathen, for God knows what we need before we ask. He then leads them in a simple but beautiful prayer.

“Our Father” – this is the most wonderful invitation into relationship. God is there for everyone. He is all-mighty, the Lord God. But He is also Father to His creation – to every thing and every one He has created.

Jesus is the one who first speaks forth “Our Father”. He is inviting us to join Him in relationship with the Holy One, and also with Himself. He says “Our Father” not “My Father”. This is family, and we are all welcome to be part of it. It’s up to us to respond. Individually and separately, we need to receive and accept the invitation. For myself, I willingly and gladly say, “Yes, Lord. I receive You as my Father. I claim the right and the honour to be Your son. I join in brotherhood with my Lord Jesus. I belong. Hallelujah!”

“hallowed be your name.” These words impact me greatly each time I encounter them. When I speak them out, a certain tone comes into my voice. It’s a sort of hushed reverence. I am acknowledging the most awesome God. His name is hallowed. It signifies the deepest, most profound holiness. It is righteousness personified. I hallow His name, but I’m relating to the whole of Him. My name is the clearest designation of me. When people ask me who I am, I answer with my name. My name is synonymous with the whole of me. And so with God! When I acknowledge His name as holy, I am receiving the whole of who He is, the immensity of His being, as holy, as righteous, as perfect in every way. This is my God. He is truly awesome, worthy of the deepest respect, veneration and obedience.

Yet I have just acknowledged Him as my Father. This totally holy, deeply righteous, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-being God welcomes me as His child. It is almost beyond belief. I say almost, but it is not impossible. I am drawn into relationship – the sweetest, deepest, truest, most enduring and totally undeniable relationship. Do I deserve this? Not in my own person or by my own endeavours, but my simple – but true – acceptance of Jesus as Saviour and as Lord makes it fully possible. I am so wonderfully, incredibly blessed. I know so, and I am so eternally thankful.

My Father,

How wonderful it is to address You thus.

And rightly so, for my Lord Jesus has made it possible for me to come to You as a much-loved son. I thank You. I salute You in holiness and righteousness. I say the name that is truly hallowed, the name that signifies the very being and essence of holiness.

But this great and wonderful Being is also my heavenly Father. I collapse in joy and thanksgiving. I praise You and thank You. Hallelujah!        Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").