Last month we looked at the names of God, one of which was ‘Abba, father.’ Abba is the most intimate form of God’s name. It shows God not just as ‘God’ and holy, supreme and all powerful, but as ‘our loving daddy.’ It is akin to a little child looking up in love and respect without fear. Abba was a word used by children for their father similar to the use of daddy or papa today.
We are introduced to this form of God’s name through Jesus while He is teaching the disciples to pray. Jesus teaches us to address God as ‘Abba’ and that is not a fear filled address. We find 2 parallel passages teaching the Lord’s prayer. A parallel passage is simply the same happening or relevant content recorded in 2 different places in the Bible. Matthew 6:7-13 says: 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Similarly, Luke 11:2-4 says: One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“‘Father, [ABBA]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
What can we learn from Jesus’ teaching on prayer in these two instances? I think the following insights:
- When we pray, we come right into the throne room of the Father. We are not going through a mediator or asking someone else to speak/pray on our behalf, but we are taught by Jesus to address our ‘Abba, Father’ directly.
- We recognize who God is in His sovereignty and Deity. He is in heaven. HIS name is hallowed or worthy of praise. It is a recognition that we are speaking to the very God and Creator of the Universe.
- Our prayers are to be in recognition that God has a plan, and it is that plan to which we submit our requests and prayers. It is ‘His kingdom come; His will be done.’ We have no fear in asking as long as we are willing to submit to His answer. And sometimes that answer is no. How do I know this? Because in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was facing His death on the cross, this is the petition He made to His Father in prayer: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus clearly asks God to ‘take this cup from [Him]’ yet ONLY if it is within the Father’s will. We are free to ask anything of God. The hard part is being willing to submit to His decision in the ask even if we don’t understand the response.
- We can ask for our needs. ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Some people don’t feel right asking God for things—surely He is too busy or the ask is too mundane. But this is exactly what Jesus teaches us to do.
- Forgiveness and repentance have their place in prayer. Jesus teaches the disciples to ask for forgiveness and to extend that forgiveness to others as well. Because Jesus died on the cross, when a believer sins it doesn’t affect their relationship but rather their fellowship with God, so we are to keep short accounts of sin.
- Our prayers are to be genuine and our words. Babbling or reciting the same words over and over, according to Jesus, does not ensure that the Father will listen. ‘ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.’ Just as you have a conversation with a loved one not by reading off a paper or reciting the same mantra each time you chat, so should our ‘words in prayer’ to God be from our hearts. They don’t have to be fancy, but they do have to be real.
- Prayer does not make God aware of anything He doesn’t already know. We pray for OUR good, and to show respect, love and relationship to God, not to ‘bring Him up to date.’
- We recognize who we are before God. We are human and easily led astray. It is appropriate to ask God to give us strength to face temptation and be victorious.
We will visit the idea of what prayer should look like a few more days this week. For now, rest in the fact that God desires us to talk with Him, Jesus invites us to do so, and God already knows what is on your heart.
Our song for today is The Lord’s Prayer by Andrea Bocelli.