LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

Two incredible words. How could we miss them? How could we not see what the message is? Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer as a principle to follow- not as words to recite. And what’s so amazing to me is how much PUNCH there is in just the first two words, if we’d think about it. So, if you’re going to keep reading, you’re going to have to think about it. Jesus doesn’t waste words in any of His communications and the OUR FATHER is a classic example. Here’s what I see in these lead off words to the prayer that every Christian child learns and knows.

1-We’re a brotherhood of believers! It’s not MY father or YOUR father, but OUR Father. We’re back to the ONENESS again, hopefully. There is no chosen race, no special tribe, and no privileged society. It’s ALL of us who have favor and mercy without end.

2-The prayer is not just a want list that we’ve prepared for ourselves, but the thought that we need to pray for all mankind. We are all in this together

3-And with two words, Jesus took down the Old Testament view of an angry God, getting even God, cruel tyrant, and a God who would not hesitate to condemn anyone to hell for the slightest finite sin committed here on earth. Do you see that? He took the concept of an aloof God and brought Him into our view as a Dad! If God is our Father, then we have His nature and are entitled to sonship mercies and favor.

Wow!

Oliver Wendell Holmes put it this way, “My religion is summed up in the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer.” May ours be as well.

Is yours?