“Our Father”
— The Lord’s Prayer,
Part 1 of 12

My Father, you are greater than all other gods, for none of their works has any value compared to what you have done. — Psalm 85:8
How easily I can recite, “Our Father,” without sensing the significance of the words. Why might they be much more important than what I see at first glance?
My Father is Creator of the universe.
Since the Creator must always be greater than the created, Father God is bigger than anything I can imagine. On a clear night in the big city, the view of the Milky Way is still enough to take my breath away. The light from the stars came from billions of light years away, a distance that is only a fraction of God’s magnitude.
I am even more awed by God’s smallness, how he sees every sparrow that falls (Matthew 10:29), is aware of every move I make, and even knows my thoughts (Psalm 139:2). As insignificant as I am, he cares enough to turn an ear toward me and hear every word I pray.
I am my Father’s son.
He may be Father to others, but what matters most is my own relationship with him. This great, awesome God is my Father.
Jesus said we must become as little children, or we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). Does that mean we should be whiners when we don’t get what we want? I don’t think so. It means we recognize ourselves as totally dependent on him.
As my Father’s child, I’m desperate for his strength and guidance.
The world says I need a good plan to be successful, but that’s only true when I’m following my Father’s plan, not my own. Jesus said he never acted on his own initiative but did only what he heard from the Father (John 5:30). If feel certain, if that’s the pattern he followed, I need to strive to do the same.
Whenever I pray, “Our Father,” I’m recognizing my complete dependence on him, trusting him, looking to him for guidance.