The Lord's Prayer: Prayer is Relationship

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9). 

Prayer is communication with God. This communication is based on relationship—a family relationship where God is our Father and we are His children. Many of us Christians are caught up in the business [busyness] of life which sometimes even includes Christian service and we hardly make time to keep our relationship with our heavenly Father flowing. But it is important we take time away from our busy schedules to fellowship and deepen our relationship with our heavenly Father. Busyness for God does not necessarily mean relationship.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her (Luke 10:38-42).

As Christians, the only grounds by which we qualify to offer prayers to God is the relationship we have with Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he [the right] to become the [children] of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).

See the beauty of this relationship we have with God. We are “…born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God” (vs. 13). Our Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ places us in the family of God; it makes us siblings with Christ Jesus. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). Our inclusion in the family of God is purely an act of grace (Ephesians 2:8). We were once slaves on the slave market of sin, but God through Christ Jesus bought us into His family.

Don’t you long to have a fruitful relationship with your Heavenly Father?—start now. He is waiting to hear from you.