Daily Affirmations - Day 2 - The Power in Prayer - Prayer Begins With God
- Alisa B.
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Day 2: Prayer begins with God
In [Christ Jesus our Lord] and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence... For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name (Ephesians 3:12,14-15).
Jesus gave the disciples a model prayer—a pattern for praying —not just mere words to recite. Often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” the prayer is in effect, “The Disciples’ Prayer."
While we certainly can (and probably should) memorize the model prayer and pray it in corporate worship settings as well as on our own, Jesus' teaching on prayer does not mean that we have to “dutifully” follow a formal script for prayer.
God understands even wordless prayers that come from our wounded, broken places, our anguish and our bitterness (1 Samuel 1:10, 13). Like Hannah, we may pray “out of...great anguish and grief,” “pouring out [our] souls before the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:15-16).
But learning to pray as Jesus taught allows us to realize an increasing level of connection and intimacy with God. Jesus was teaching much more than an organized set of words to remember.
The very first lesson in prayer is that prayer begins with God —Our Father (Who is) in Heaven. Disciples of Jesus do not address their prayers “To Whom it May Concern”—we pray to “Our Father in Heaven.” It doesn’t get any more personal than that!
But the fact that we are entering the presence of “Our Father,” should not diminish our recognition of the other attributes of God. Through faith in Jesus, God is "Our Father;" yet He is the high and exalted One...— He who lives forever, whose name is holy" (Isaiah 57:15).
This for me, is crucial, as often when I come to God in prayer, I come full of… well, me. My needs, my wants, my burdens, my sorrows, my pain, my agenda. I’m like the teenager always bursting through the door with a “What’s for dinner?” ‘greeting’.
When I think of my own barging into God's presence in light of that parallel, I see more clearly the significance of the opening Jesus teaches in the model prayer.
As a parent, I would certainly understand the need to gently correct a constant me-centered approach from a child. Even though I would always feel the joy of having my child come to me, part of my responsibility is to teach that child honor, and respect, consideration, restraint, maturity, and perspective.
We are invited to come boldly (with confidence) (Hebrews 4:16). But the invitation, the welcome, the assurance we are given does not come with disregard for God’s honor and authority. We cannot come like “brute beast[s]” (Psalm 73:22) “trampling on [His] courts” (Isaiah 1:12).
Prayer to "Our Father in Heaven" should start with an awareness of who God is, and by His grace, our position (Matthew 18:3, 1 John 3:1).
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