“Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9)
We are aware that God is holy, “in heaven”, completely different from us. At the same time, Jesus teaches us to address God as “our Father”. This is stunning. God, the great Creator of the universe, wants to be the Father of little human beings, even though humanity as a whole has turned its back on Him. This is only possible because Jesus reconciled mankind to God by His atoning death.
God as our Father wants a personal relationship with us; a relationship of respect and obedience but also of love and trust. As our Creator, He knows us and loves us and He knows exactly what we need. Our prayers are an expression of the confidence we have that He is able to fulfill our every need, and that He will never forsake us.
God is not just “my” Father, but “our” Father. This reminds us that we are part of God’s new family. We have “brothers and sisters”, fellow believers, with whom and for whom we can pray, and whom we can ask to pray for us in times of special need.
Do you consider God your “Father in heaven”? What does that mean to you?