What Jesus Did! 'Father!' — Luke 11:2

Friday, July 14, 2023

[In response to one of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray,] Jesus said, "This is how you should pray:
"Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon."
— Luke 11:2 NLT

Key Thought

From this beginning of Jesus' lesson on prayer, we learn that prayer begins with two realities: The first reality is that the Almighty God, holy and majestic, eternal and all powerful, longs for us to come to him as his our Father, recognizing that this also means we are children. The second reality is that God, our Father, calls us to enter into a relationship where his will and his way set the direction and the meaning of our lives as we voluntarily offer ourselves as subjects of his Kingdom. These complementary realities mean that God is both our Father and our King, so our hearts' deepest yearnings are to come into the presence of our Father and to see the dawning of his unrestrained and untainted rule over all things. Prayer is the perfect place to experience the Father's presence and to anticipate this great day of his complete reign over all things. Prayer is also the place where we affirm to the God we love that he is our Father, that we want his name and character to be honored in all the earth, and that we live in anticipation of the day when Christ brings all his glory to full view. Such few words to express awesome truth; yet these words, this relationship, and this future are ours in Jesus!

Today's Prayer

Holy and tender Father, it breaks my heart to hear your name so violated by profanity and by mere flippant exclamations. Please bring about a deeper reverence for your name by bringing the rule of your Kingdom into full and glorious view with the return of your Son. Until that day, dear Father, please empower your church, that island of your Kingdom in view, to be more powerful in displaying her reverence for your name, her desire to draw close to you, and her passion for the day of your Son's return. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

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8 Related Resources by Heartlight

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 11:2 NLT — [In response to one of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray,] Jesus said, "This is how you should pray: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon."

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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