Disciples Experience God
Through Prayers Learned from Jesus
This week we focus on calling upon God as our “Father.’ While rare in Old Testament prayers, Jesus regularly addresses God as Father in prayer and encourages us to do the same. The opening line to the Lord’s Prayer is Our Father Who art in Heaven. In fact, all but one recorded prayer shared by Jesus calls on God as “Father” (and that exception quotes the Old Testament’s Psalm 22:1).
Why such emphasis? Jesus knew a thing or two about the heart of God. Tucked away in Jeremiah 3:19, God is quoted saying to His people “I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.”
Beyond Jesus’ prayers, there are dozens upon dozens of more references to “Father” in His teaching. This was Jesus’ primary alignment to God – for us and Him. This relational image of Father and child is one of the ways Jesus directs us back to God.
The hope and heart of God is to be called “Father” by His people – by us, His children. And while it may have gone sideways in the Old Testament, we see Jesus bring it home and set it up the way God wants. God wants you to call Him “Abba” (meaning “Father” in Aramaic, a common language of Jesus’ day among some Jews).
Prayer for the Week
Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching us about the heart of God as Father. Father God, although You are Lord God Almighty, creator of the universe, maker of all things visible and invisible, You are Father to me: Almighty Abba, heavenly Father, Divine Dad. Thanks, Father, for loving me. Amen.
Sermon on the Mount Video Series,
Episode 7
The Lord’s Prayer
In a short prayer, Jesus shows us how to align our desires with the purposes of God’s Kingdom.
https://bibleproject.com/videos/lords-prayer/
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 139:7-12
- Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? - If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. - If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea, - even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. - If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,” - even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Read the verses of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask Him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Pondering Point
This section of Psalm 139 speaks of God’s presence everywhere (known as ubiquity or omnipresence). How does this impact you? Is it helpful? Heavy? Intrusive?