Matthew 6:9 “Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.”  You may not agree with the importance of this week’s challenge, but here we go.  I have seen a real change in the last few years that raises concern for me regarding the decline given to the respect and image of the word, “Father.”  Younger Christians and men today routinely start and address their prayers to God, and not refer to Him as Father.  These prayers are from the heart and sincere but leave out the image and recognition of God as Father.  If Jesus prayed to His Father, why shouldn’t we do the same thing, rather than just God?  Father makes it a personal relationship just as we have with our own children.  As spiritual leaders, we are to follow the example of Christ.  He always started His prayers with Father, even when He was on the cross.  The pious scribes of Scripture prayed with a deepened voice, “Oh, God.”  Our leadership and homes are to acknowledge and model our Father’s prototype of the heavenly family and recognize that He is our Father.

The word, Father, signifies honor, reverence, authority, wisdom, provider and submission.  Jesus started the model prayer in our verse this week with “Our Father.”  Throughout his life, He always prayed to God as his Father and spoke of his Father’s business, kingdom, will, provision, house, confession, salvation and much more.  When Jesus was crucified, He prayed in Luke 23: 33-24, “Father, forgive them.”  As Jesus was dying on the cross, He prayed in Luke 23: 46 “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”  I believe that it is very important for men as the spiritual leaders of their homes to pray to God as Father to communicate to their wives and children what Father really means.  Our culture today is rapidly becoming genderless and no longer respects the Biblical roles and differences of men and women.

My wife calls me Dean, my children call me Dad and my grandchildren call me Papa.  If my children and grandchildren called me Dean, it would be like them speaking to a peer, friend or buddy.  I want to them to recognize and respect me as the Father of our family and that I lead and respect my Father in heaven.  I have to earn this honor and respect from them, or I am just Dean.  When we accept Jesus as or Lord and Savior, God becomes our Father and that is the image, model and plan God intends for us to have in our own family.  It carries with it the responsibility for us to lead in the same way our Father in heaven leads us.