As Father, God is like our loving earthly fathers; yet, unlike our fathers, God is our Father in heaven. He’s the Creator, the God of the universe, eternal, infinitely powerful, loving, wise, just, beautiful, and holy.
“Our Father who art in heaven…” — Matthew 6:9
The opening sentence of the Lord’s Prayer is more or less familiar to any Australian over fifty. In the 70s our whole school, a state school, prayed the Lord’s Prayer at every assembly. Australian Parliaments still begin each day by praying it. The Lord’s Prayer is deep in the DNA of millions, but where is it from, and what does it mean?
The Bible records that this was a prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Take a look; it’s in Matthew 6:9-13. It’s short, about fifty-five words. It begins with an “address”—“Our Father who art in heaven”—followed by six “petitions” (humble requests). Notice how the first three petitions are for God, and the final three are for our needs.
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