May 2, 2024

“Our Father.” Sometimes when we see references like this, we blow right by it. For us, it’s a familiar reference. That’s because we’ve been calling God, “Father” ever since Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer. But it wasn’t that way when Jesus shared this with His Disciples. Remember, God was known as distant and impersonal to them. His anger was well-documented in their history, and they feared Him more than they served Him out of love. So “Father” was a surprising concept to them. And one they would have to get used to.
It’s that way for a lot of people today as well. I had a friend who told me that when he started coming to church, this idea of God being a Father was a tough one. The only father he’d known was a stepfather who had a pretty severe mean streak. Especially when he drank. Which was most of the time. “Father” meant being ridiculed and called names. It meant being slapped around and humiliated. It meant being scared or at least on high alert anytime you were at home. God is a “Father?” No, thank you.
My guess is that many of you have a similar story. A father who was abusive. A father who was an addict. A father who was absent, uncaring, or emotionally detached. Father-wounds go DEEP. They can leave scars that last a lifetime.
But maybe Jesus knew that. Maybe he not only understood the fathers of His time, but perhaps He looked into the future and saw what many fathers would become. So He taught us to pray, “Our Father.” Not because it would be an endearing term for many, but because it could become a healing term for them. God would be the Father we never knew. The Father we never had. The Father who would love us, bless us, encourage us, comfort us, stand with us, stay with us, care for us, and one who would never, ever leave us. God is the Father we’ve always wanted. The Father we’ve always needed. And now, because of Jesus, He’s the Father we’ll always have! That’s God’s Word for you today.