Jesus Taught Us to Pray, Saying 'Our Father, who art in Heaven…'
(Matthew 6:9, Luke 11:1-5)
We all have nicknames or pet names for friends and family. We compliment them on their appearance and on the great job they did on a project. We speak to them with a soft tone that communicates the affection we feel for them. Take a day to focus on the language used in your office. Specifically, how the Lord’s name is used. Or how Jesus’ name is used. Somehow, these two words have become tied to profanity and exclamations of shock and disgust. How would you feel if that was how people used your name? If we truly “love the Lord” with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul, should we be using His name that way? If you’re thinking “Oh, I don’t mean it. It’s just something I say when I’m angry;” then it’s time to find something else to help you blow off steam. Next time you’re angry or frustrated, try taking a very deep breath and breathing it out slowly through your slightly puckered mouth – as if you had just taken a deep drag on a cigarette and were blowing the smoke out. There’s a school of thought that believes one reason smokers say smoking relaxes them is they find the deep breathing soothing. If you really prefer to let loose with something verbal, pick some meaningless word to say; but work hard to break from the habit of using the Lord’s or Jesus’ name. When Jesus was asked by a disciple (Luke 11:1) to teach them to pray, He gave us the Lord’s prayer, or as you probably referred to it as a child, “the ‘Our Father.’” When Jesus was in Gethsemane preparing for His betrayal, we’re told He prayed to the Lord by calling out “Abba.” That word was used as a term of endearment much the same as the English term “Daddy.” Even at His most stressful hour – the anticipation of His arrest – He resisted the temptation to lose His patience (which He had done before with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and moneychangers). Yes, Jesus was perfect. But more important than that, He was and is a role model for us. Perhaps if we made more of an effort to think of our Lord and spiritual Father as “Abba,” that would help us speak to Him with more affection.
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