Highlights:
  1. God is low on fancy He is high on accessibility.
  2. Abba is an intimate term to characterize personal relationships with God.
  3. Jesus downplays the importance of words.

This blog is the second part of the Before Amen Series. You can read the Introduction here. Max Lucado talks about how approachable our Heavenly Father is.

Introduction

If you are going to read my profile below, you will observe that I got three kids. Whenever my kids want to tell me something, they will always start with this word, “Daddy.” In the same manner, this is how prayer starts. “Daddy,” an honest, heartfelt, “Daddy.” Jesus made this very clear in his lesson about prayer. According to Matthew, chapter 6.

“This, then, is how you should pray:” ‘Our Father in heaven, Matthew 6:9

Jesus instructed us to begin our prayer with “Our Father in Heaven” or specifically “Our Abba in Heaven.” Abba is an intimate term to characterize personal relationships with God. The warmest of all the Aramaic words for Father. No formalities. Jesus invited us to come to God in just this way.

I remember when I used to pick up Sean, our youngest, in his school during his kindergarten days. When he approaches me, he will jump in me with excitement. He will ask me to wait as he plays a bit on the playground – he makes a request and asks questions. What he doesn’t do is say:

“Father, it is more gracious of thee to drive thy car to this place of education and provide me with domestic transportation. Please know of my deepest gratitude to thy dedication” This is not what God is seeking when we pray – what a relief.

We don’t have to worry about the etiquette or dress code when we pray or kneel or stand. No. God has invited us to approach Him like little children – carefree, joy field, trusting, curious, and excited – Daddy.

God prefers this: “God, you are my Daddy, and I am your child.” Why? Because it is impossible to show off and, at the same time, call God Daddy.

Religious people in Jesus’ days loves to make a theater out of prayer. They appear in the intersections, and they practice public prayers. It displeases Jesus.

prayer

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. “Matthew 6:6

In ancient times – this room pertains to storage room – tools, seeds, farming supplies. Nothing holy in it, nothing sacred about it. It is the day to day workroom.

God is low on fancy He is high on accessibility.

To pray at the Wailing Wall can be meaningful, but prayers offered at home can be as much weight. The one who hears your prayer is your Daddy. You don’t need to woo him with location nor with words. Jesus downplays the importance of words.

Before you face the world tomorrow, face your Father in heaven.
“Father, my Daddy, you are good, and Your heart is good. Your ways are right.”

Our Heavenly Father wants to walk with you. The prayer is not complicated. Don’t take pride in well-crafted prayer or apologize for incoherent ones. Take your concerns to your Father, and don’t hold back. Climb up into His lap and tell Him everything that is in your heart and trust Him. After all, He is your Daddy.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” Matthew 6:7

Vocabulary and geography might impress people but not God. There is no panel of angelic judges that hold cards and say, “wow, that prayer was a 10 – God will certainly hear from you” “Oh, that prayer is a 2 – you better go home and practice” You are not graded based on the style of your prayer.

Our God is good.

Good in skills and right in the heart. You cannot contain the power of God. He created the creation, and He consulted no committee. To the prophet Isaiah, He said, “I am God, and there is no other.” He has no beginning and no end. God is never hungry, He never sleeps, and He never needs assistance. From the tiniest microbe to the mightiest mountain, He sustains everything by the power of His hand. His power is unprecedented.

And God’s heart is flawless. There is nothing deceitful about Him. He doesn’t have a hidden agenda or selfish motives. He loves with proper love, and He forgives with endless forgiveness. God’s goodness changes us. If He is like us only slightly better and He grows weary, then why pray. If He has limitations, we might as well pray to the wizard of oz. But if God is Father and creator, holy unlike us and high above us, then at any point, we are only a prayer away from Him. Our toughest challenges are simple fixes to God.

worship
Tell God how you experience his goodness.

Before you face the world tomorrow, face your Father in heaven. “Father, my Daddy, you are good, and Your heart is good. Your ways are right.”

Our Heavenly Father wants to walk with you. The prayer is not complicated. Don’t take pride in well-crafted prayer or apologize for incoherent ones. Take your concerns to your Father, and don’t hold back. Climb up into His lap and tell Him everything that is in your heart and trust Him. After all, He is your Daddy.

Credits/Notes:
  1. Before Amen
  2. All verses are based on the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise stated.