Matthew 6:9 (NIV) This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”
“The Fatherhood of God has taken on new meaning since Calvary, but its roots are well-grounded in the Old Testament revelation. Deut. 32:6; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 3:19, and Malachi 1:6 reveal God as Ab (the New Testament equivalent is Pater), the Father of the nation of Israel. In this role, He tenderly cares for His people’s needs, disciplines them, and provides for them—all with the intent to redeem them. The study of Old Testament history discloses a beautiful Father-children relationship between God and His people. He was a true father who loved them, supplied their needs, and required their obedience. In the New Testament, we see God’s fatherhood first in the Father-Son relationship between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament develops the idea of the father-child relationship between God and each believer.” What does this mean to us? If you were to think of an ideal human father, you would probably imagine someone who would have your best interests in mind. If an earthly father wants the best for his child, how much more does your Heavenly Father delight in providing for your spiritual and material needs both now and in the life to come?
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