Matthew 6:9

PASSAGE: Matthew 6:9 - Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

PAUSE: The best place to begin prayer is to put your focus on praising God for Who He is, not on our list of needs and struggles. That comes later! Referring to God as “Father” was rare in the Old Testament but for Jesus this is His primary name for God. Of course, God is the Father and Jesus is the Son. Don’t miss the intimacy of this family language. “Father” conveys not only intimacy but also His authority and care. And since we are “in Christ” God is “our Father.” When we pray “hallowed be your name” we are acknowledging God as Holy and worthy of our honor and praise. Now, there are many ways to praise God for Who He is (think of all His attributes) and for all that He has done (think of His mighty acts in creation & salvation). The key is that in this model prayer, Jesus starts with praising the Father. This keeps our priorities in the right order. God first! When we see God for who He is, it puts everything else in proper perspective. It puts all our needs and struggles under His loving Lordship! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father. Help us to keep the eyes of our heart fixed on You. For You alone are worthy because You alone are HOLY! Amen