Our Father In Heaven

A few brothers and sisters in Christ had recently been asked (tasked 😜) to share about our understanding on the verses in the Lord's prayer (Matt 6:8-13). 


I had volunteered to share about my understanding of the first line - Our Father in Heaven. 

Source: Internet

When Jesus taught us to pray in this manner, to me, I see it as:

  1. Jesus telling us about identity. 
  2. Jesus telling us about what this identity entails. 


When Jesus said, "Our Father in Heaven", 

1) He was unveiling a 2-fold revelations: God's identity and our identity.

First identity: God's identity. 

Most (if not all) religions (E.g. pharisee-ism at the time of Jesus and legalism in our days) approach God as Creator and Master. And yet Jesus revealed this - the one to whom we pray to is not just our creator and master but more than that, He is our father. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong in seeing God as Creator and Master. He is Creator and Master of all. 

But one tends to view his/ her creator and master with more awe and fear, than with love. 

Creator is distant. So is a Master. 

We are only able to truly deeply love someone with whom we have a relationship, like a Father. 

Of course, often times earthly fathers may not reflect the father image designed by God. And so, we have a flawed view of God as an angry or distant or hard to please father. 

That is not so with our Abba Father, which is why Jesus reminds us He is our Father in Heaven. 

In fact, Jesus came to reconcile us to God. He came to make known Abba Father to us. And essentially, God becomes our Father when Jesus came. 

If you read the book of John carefully, you'd noticed that Jesus referenced God as either My Father or the Father throughout the book of John. It was only after His resurrection that He said to the disciples 'My Father and Your Father'. You can read about it in earlier post, My Father and your Father.


Second identity: Our identity.

It may sound like the same thing, God's identity and our identity. 

But for some, even when they have embraced God's identity as their father, sadly, they never truly see themselves as His son and daughter. 

Children of God, I hope this doesn't sound blasphemous but we are just like Jesus! We are co-heirs with Him. We are sons and daughters of God, whom our Father loves so much! 

There is indescribable power in knowing our identity! 


2) In this 2-fold identity, lies the foundation for all things in our life. 

I firmly believe that this revelation of the 2-fold identity is the foundation for transformation in the life of a believer. 

Being firmly rooted in this identity of God as my Father and my identity as my Father's beloved daughter is the foundation for a full and abundant life in Christ. 

And everything that we pray for in accordance to the Lord's Prayer - daily bread, forgiveness etc - should come from this position. To our Father in heaven as His beloved child.


Beloved in Christ, what is your take on this 2-fold revelation? 

He is your Father in Heaven. 

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