OUR FATHER...' MATTHEW 6:9 KJV

Jesus taught His disciples to pray: 'After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father...' (Matthew 6:9 KJV). Don't miss this: the relationship you have with someone determines the level of comfort and confidence with which you approach them. So Jesus begins by emphasising:

The person. 'Our Father...' Now, if you had an absentee father who was never there for you, or an abusive father who hurt you, or an emotionally unavailable father who never showed you much love or acceptance, then you need a new concept of God; a Scriptural one; otherwise your past will sabotage you. Before you can trust someone you have to know they really care about you. Once that happens you'll open up to them. Only then can your wounded areas be made whole. 'Our Father...' that puts an address on the envelope! You need to understand Who you're talking to, and the relationship you have with Him. You appraoch God on the basis of who you are to Him, and Whom He is to you. Your heavenly Father is a covenant making, covenant keepings God. When two people in Bible days made a convenan it wasn't a casual 'call me sometime' with no commitment. No, they sealed it with blood, meaning, 'I'll give my life for you if necessary.'

You call actually call God 'Papa' without a trace of irreverence: 'This ressurection life you ahve received from God is...adventurously expectant, and we know who we are: Father and children' (Romans 8:15-16 TM). So to pray the Lord's Prayer effectively we must recognise and rejoice in who He is to us - 'Our Father...'

Read: Luke 11:9-13