Good Morning!! Every word of our Lord's model prayer is remarkable and vital,...but it
is especially important to notice first what Jesus puts first. He begins with these wonderful and welcoming words: our Father.
Even God's chosen people, the people of Israel, had never been
encouraged to approach God in the Old Testament with such familiarity
and warmth! Jesus had addressed almost every one of His prayers to
His "Father", but what an unexpected and pleasant surprise, for
Him to invite us to enjoy that same intimacy. Yet, in the same breath,
He reminds us not to grow complacent, or
presumptuous in the presence of our Father,...because He is no ordinary
father, He is our Father in Heaven. The heavens are His throne, and the earth is His footstool.
"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,—Matthew 6:9 (NIV)
No matter how big the issue might be, or how impossible the request might be, there is nothing that we cannot bring to our Father in prayer and there is nothing that He cannot do. Just imagine it, the very One to whom we are encouraged to pray, is the One who has the power and authority and wisdom to fulfill our desires and answer our prayers. No middle-man to go through. And what is to be the first request on our lips, the chief desire of our hearts? Hallowed be Thy name. Recognizing that our heavenly Father is worthy of our every praise and devotion, we are to hallow (set apart and above) His name in our hearts.
"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,—Matthew 6:9 (NIV)
No matter how big the issue might be, or how impossible the request might be, there is nothing that we cannot bring to our Father in prayer and there is nothing that He cannot do. Just imagine it, the very One to whom we are encouraged to pray, is the One who has the power and authority and wisdom to fulfill our desires and answer our prayers. No middle-man to go through. And what is to be the first request on our lips, the chief desire of our hearts? Hallowed be Thy name. Recognizing that our heavenly Father is worthy of our every praise and devotion, we are to hallow (set apart and above) His name in our hearts.
If we make God's name sacred in our hearts, then His name will be consecrated in our choices,...our actions,...and through-out our lives.
Dear Holy Spirit, help us to keep our Heavenly Father's name great and hallowed always! Amen.
" When we walk in the Spirit, when the Spirit controls us, He produces joy in our lives just as He produces love."
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