The Lord’s Prayer – Our Father in Heaven

WWJD or “What Would Jesus Do?” was a wildly popular expression in the 1990s, and millions of Christian kids wore WWJD bracelets as reminders of how they should conduct their lives. We don’t have to ask, “How would Jesus pray?” and wear HWJP bracelets because Jesus gave us the answer in Matthew 6:9-13 with the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is our model, and, in this series, I’m breaking it down for you word by word, line by line. Start with the deep dive overview of the Lord’s Prayer and pick up from there. Today, we’ll cover part B of verse 9, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”

This article is for you if you grew up without a father or lacked a positive role model.

Matthew 6: 9b Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

We should begin on the right foot. God is not our bro. He is God. He is holy – that’s what hallowed means. When Moses approached God at the burning bush, God told him to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). The ground itself wasn’t holy; it was holy only because of God’s presence. Let’s give Him the proper reverence He deserves when we enter His presence.

But God is our Heavenly Father, and that can be an epic comfort for 25% of American children who live without a father in the home. Or consider the 11 million American kids in 1980 who grew up without a father in the house. These kids are now men trying to be fathers.

You Can Have a Father

But these men are not alone. They can accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and receive more than salvation. They receive a Father who will never leave or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” (Romans 8:15-17, NLT, emphasis mine).

Once saved, God adopts us into His family. God is our Father. And no matter how much our fathers damaged us, Christian men have a Heavenly Father, and we must grow up to become His sons. We must stop blaming our fathers because we’re chosen, adopted sons of the King. Start living as the King’s kid!

People say, “We’re all God’s children.” This statement isn’t true. We are all God’s creations, but not His children. You become His child when you accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as your Saviour (John 3:16). Paul made this case earlier in chapter 8 of Romans (Romans 8:1-14, NLT) when he begins, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Unfortunately, condemnation does await those who reject God’s generous Offer to be sons and daughters in His family.

Matthew 6: 9b Your name

My wife, Sandra, likes to remind me that her name means “helper of man.” The reminders usually come when she’s editing my work, and I show a hint of frustration. Names have meanings, which is why pregnant mothers love to buy baby name books. I have a cool story about my daughter’s name I’ll share sometime.

According to one source, God has almost 1000 names or titles in the Bible, each with a different meaning. Dr. David Jeremiah has a fantastic article explaining a few of God’s most commonly known names, and I suggest you read it. I will share how God has revealed Himself to me through a few of His names.

How I Know God by His Names

Jehovah-Rohi: The Lord My Shepherd

In Hebrew, Jehovah means “Lord,” and Rohi is “Shepherd,” and this Name has recently taken on great significance for me. On vacation last Fall, I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at me to memorize Psalm 23, which, as you know, begins with “Lord, you are my Shepherd.” Who am I to question the Holy Spirit? So, I popped in my earbuds, dialed up Psalm 23 (NLT) on the Bible app at .75 speed, and listened to it over and over again as I walked the coastline of Topsail Island.

I still recite it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, and any other time I need comfort knowing that this dumb sheep has a Shepherd guiding and protecting me with His rod and staff. A 100 sheep can be in a sheep pen, but a shepherd can call out to his 25, and only those sheep will come running to him. I want to recognize and be that obedient to my Shepherd’s voice.

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Shall Provide

In Hebrew, “The-Lord-Will-Provide” is Jehovah-Jireh. God provided a ram for Abraham, bread for the wandering Israelites, five stones for David, and Jesus for the sins of the world.

“19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19, NIV).

The real estate market crash of 2009 crippled my research business, forcing me to liquidate savings accounts, retirement accounts, and every piggy bank I could find in the house. I turned over every sofa cushion, stained my brother-in-law’s deck for grocery money, and sold my plasma (well, almost). Finally, late one afternoon, shortly before the power company turned off our lights, I called on the name of the Lord. I know, I should’ve turned to the Lord first, but I’m a stubbornly self-reliant hard case, and it takes a lot to get my attention.

“Lord, I need help.”

That’s all I said. I spoke it audibly and with desperation. Then I forgot about it until 9 o’clock the next morning when my phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Brandon, an old friend I hadn’t seen since we left our church a year earlier.

“I have no idea if you’d be interested, but I’m hiring someone…”

He shared that the Lord woke him from a dead sleep at 4:30 am and told him to call me about the job. That’s our God, the One True God, brothers and sisters, who has used Brandon’s company to provide for my family’s needs since 2010.

He is Jehovah Jirah. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord Who Heals

“Rapha” is the Hebrew word “to heal” and is first used in Exodus 15:26. Scripture is filled with God healing people, and He will also heal nations. (2 Chronicles 7:14). And God continues to heal today.

God, as Jehovah-Rapha, has tremendous significance for me. I’ve shared before how God defied medical science by healing our unborn child, who was supposed to die in my wife’s womb.

But that’s not all. Years later, my wife was pregnant with our son. Doctors prenatally diagnosed him with a bilateral cleft palate, which causes problems with feeding, breathing, and talking and makes the person prone to ear infections and dental issues. The cleft palate was a major concern, and we prayed for a miracle.

“His palate feels perfect,” the delivery nurse said.

And it was. Jehovah-Rapha healed our son’s bilateral cleft lip.

Wrapping It Up

Jesus taught us the Lord’s Prayer because it’s a perfect pattern for talking to God and should also bring us great comfort. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, God adopts us into His family. And He’s a loving Father, attentive and kind, desiring a relationship with us. But we can’t forget He is holy and treat Him with honor and reverence. The Bible commands us to honor our earthly parents, who are sinners, how much more so our Heavenly Father, who is holy and perfect. Take time to study the many names of God, which tell us more about His character and how He demonstrates His love for us.

Stay tuned. Next time, we dive into verse 10 of the Lord’s Prayer.