FOR READING & MEDITATION – Luke 11:1-13
Considering the opening words of Jesus prayer in John 17, and the prayer constructed for His disciples in Luke 11. The word ‘Father’ appears at the beginning of both prayers. Our Lord not only taught His disciples to address God as ‘Father’ but He did so Himself.
Why is it important to address God as ‘Father’? Well, one reason is that it turns our minds away from ourselves to our Father who is in heaven. Then, and only then, can we get the right perspective on things. Our biggest failures in prayer begin when we rush into God’s presence and start presenting our petitions without any regard to who God is. This only serves to concentrate our attention on what is already troubling us, and increase our awareness of our lack. When we begin by focusing on God as someone who takes a Father’s interest in His children, and concentrate on Him, thinking about His greatness, His power and His eagerness to give, the first thing we receive is a calm spirit. The tendency to plunge into a panicky flood of words leaves us, and we begin to realise that because God is our Father there is an entirely different way of looking at matters.
Also, the very mention of the word ‘Father’ helps up understand that we are not engaging in a theological dialogue; we are talking to our Father. And ‘Father’ is a relationship word; we can’t call God ‘Father’ without acknowledging that we are His children. No prayer can be true prayer unless we understand that when we talk to God we talk to Him as a child talks to a loving father.
Pray now: O Father, with great joy I say that word. Help me never to forget that prayer begins with adoration, not with supplication, with the focus on You, not on me. Forgive me that so often I get things the wrong way round. Jesus’ name. Amen.’