Our Father

Downloadable Reflection Guide

What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father

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We take it for granted, but being invited to call upon the Creator of the universe as Father is truly remarkable. Luther’s phrase “God tenderly invites” conveys the familial connection that God desires to exist between us. God as Father is not a far-off and distant God. He is a Father who desires to walk with us, just as He did in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8).

This must have come as a shock to the disciples. No God-fearing Jew at that time would have dared to approach God in prayer with such presumed intimacy. Paul explains how it is that we are now able to call God, Father in Galatians 3:24-26 when he writes:  “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” 

Isn’t it interesting how Paul describes that law as our guardian until Christ came? As an expert in Jewish law, Paul’s claim is all the more remarkable. We learn from this that our intended relationship with God was to have been able to call upon Him as Father, but sin got in the way. Now in Christ, we are free once again to enter into a familial relationship with our Heavenly Father. The Son has made us sons and daughters as we were always intended to be.

Our Father invites us, as a part of our relationship with Him, to call upon Him in prayer for all our varied needs.

Thoughts for Reflection

Reflect on our being able to call God, Father. How can keeping this special privilege in mind enrich your prayer life?