Reduce Your Stress by Praying the Lord’s PrayerSample

Matthew 6:9 “Our Father, in heaven”

Get to Know Our Father

Father wounds are all too common. Hurt, anger, and fractured relationships between fathers and their kids have become the norm.

I am no stranger to father wounds. My earthly father was emotionally abusive, physically abusive, and sexually abusive. Unfortunately, my story is all too common. Perhaps you have a similar story. But, even if you don’t, your earthly father was not perfect, no matter how wonderful. The problem is we often, without realizing it, transfer our earthly father’s characteristics onto our heavenly Father.

When Jesus invited us to start our prayer with “Our Father,” He reminded us that God in heaven is a good, gracious, and loving heavenly Father. This is the Father that Jesus described in the parable of the prodigal son. (Luke 15). When the son spends his inheritance, spurns his father’s love, and shames the family with a life of immorality, the Father reaches back with love and forgiveness. When the son was a long way off, the father, constantly searching the horizon for his son, catches a glimpse of Him and takes off running towards Him.

Our Father in Heaven continually moves towards the sinner. No matter how you’ve messed up or grown indifferent, Our Father in Heaven looks on you with love, not disgust. He offers emotional intimacy, not emotional distance. He longs for a deeper relationship with you and has made every effort to establish that.

Pause and Reflect: Think for a moment about your earthly father. What characteristics belonged to him? Then think about your heavenly father. How is God different from Your earthly Father? How might praying the Lord’s prayer remind you of the relationship our Father wants to have with us as His children?

Pray: Oh Father in heaven, thank You that You invite me into intimate friendship with You. Thank You that when You taught us to pray, Our Father, who art in heaven, You were inviting us to a loving personal relationship with You. I ask you to heal whatever wounds I received from my earthly father and give me a fresh vision of you as my heavenly Father.