The Ground of Prayer (Part Two): My Father

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Luke 11:2, NKJV)

What a powerful beginning Jesus gives us to pray, a recognition of our stance with God. It's even more powerful when we realize this is not referring to our adoption stance in Christ. It refers to the very fact that we all proceed from God [Luke 3:38; Acts 17:28-29] – black, white, red, whatever color you might be; Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, Christian, whatever your belief might be, or not be. 

We all have access to God, by the simple fact that we proceed from Him.

We all have access to God by the simple fact we proceed from Him. He is calling us to come home. He is calling us to come to have fellowship with Him. That is the essence of creation [Revelations 4:11] – fellowship with the Father; spending time with Him in communion; spending time with Him in the place of prayer. Prayer should not be our last resort, nor one of our options. 

Prayer should be our place of rest, our place of refuge. [Psalms 33:1; Proverbs 18:10] Prayer should be our home, our place of abode; the place we feel secure; the place we feel wanted and accepted. [Psalms 91:1-2] Such did Enoch find walking way ahead of his time. And God accounted to him that the world was not worthy of him. [Genesis 5:22-24; Hebrews 11:5]

Prayer should be our place of rest; our place of refuge.

Such did David find, way ahead of his time. No wonder God calls him "a man after His [God's] own heart." [Psalms 42; 84] Can God find such a heart in you? Do you seek God? Are you seeking God? Are you comfortable in His presence? Are you absolved by Him? Is He your all in all? Will you, like the prodigal son, say today, “I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER….” (Luke 15:18a)

 He is waiting. He is looking out for you. He is expecting you to come. He is expecting you to come to spend time with Him - spend time in His presence. (He takes pleasure in your spending time in His presence.) Don’t deprive Him of that.

I will arise and go to my Father.

And, guess what, you can come just as you are. He will meet you just where you are and help you come to where He wants you to be. Please come spend time with the Father. It gives Him the joy to have you come.

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Link to Study Series:

The Ground of Prayer (Part One): Why We Come 

The Ground of Prayer (Part Three): Our Sweet Spot.