How does one address God? Should we be casual, like close friends? “Hey God!” Should we be formal, as if approaching royalty? “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe”. This is from a standard Jewish prayer. One answer lies in the teaching of Jesus on prayer. “When you pray,” says Jesus, address God with “Our Father in heaven…”
There are times we approach God in reverence and awe. Moses went close to God’s presence while Israel stood far off. The lightning, thunder, and shaking at Sinai terrified them. The eternal Son of God became man and said, “Let the little children come to me.” His ministry was face to face. His touch healed impossible ailments. His voice sent away formidable enemies. In prayer, Jesus teaches us to come as a child would to a parent seeking needs to be met. There’s a both/and approach to addressing the Lord. “Our Father”, which is casual and familiar; then the royal protocol, “who is in Heaven”. Think of a big Dad delighting in his wee child jumping into his strong arms!
Jesus tells an evil generation that even they would give good things to their children. If their child asks for a fish, no Dad would give them a serpent. The Heavenly Father, who is not evil or worldly, will give far greater gifts to those who ask. Our earthly fathers are limited in their ability to provide. My Dad always told us to ask, and we’d see what God would provide. He almost always figured out a way to say yes if it was possible. I called home from the tail end of my junior year at college and asked if I could take two summer courses. “Give me the facts, son.” “Well, two classes is this much money, and I’ll be able to graduate in four years.” I found out twenty-eight years later that my parents had saved the exact amount of money it cost for summer classes to take a silver anniversary trip to Ireland. They honeymooned there in 1973 and had plans to return in 1998. My earthly father said yes to summer school, and they never took that trip. A fish and not a serpent!
I had a good Dad. Not perfect, but always wanting to give us whatever it took to land on our feet and make a run at this world. I have a perfect Heavenly Father; in fact, “he will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and will turn to my good whatever adversity he sends upon me in this vale of tears. He is able to do this because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father” (Heidelberg Catechism, 26).
Our culture has lost etiquette and protocol. Gone with it is respect for those our senior or who hold a position of authority or oversight. The fifth commandment is clear that we should respect our parents. It also implies, as do clear places in Scripture (1 Timothy 5), that those who are superior to us in some way, say a boss, teacher, or an officer of the law, are to be honored in like way. Our address to God, however, should remain one of fear and trembling (Hebrews 12), as well as a confident approach to the One who has opened the way to the throne of grace, that we may find help in our time of need (Hebrews 4 & 10). Our Father! Who is in Heaven!