Proximity and Recognizing God Our Father in Prayer

When you pray, how often do you reflect on who God is to you and who you are to Him? Do you

remember that He is your Father, and you are His beloved child? Parenthood had a beautiful way

of reminding me of this and helping me approach Him confidently, just as my daughters come to

me.

Matthew 6:9 (NASB 1995) declares, “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.’” The passage says, “Our Father.” This is a clear indicator that we are

not talking to someone who is beyond our reach. Instead, we are talking to our heavenly Father,

who eagerly waits to hear from and speak to His children. As a matter of fact, the verse prior

(Matthew 6:8, NASB 1995) says, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him,” and

then goes on to say, “Pray, then…”. Now, before you say, “If He already knows what I need

before I ask Him, why should I pray?” because that crossed my mind too, that is why the passage

follows up with “Pray, then…”. He wants us to come to Him because healthy relationships

require communication from both parties. God is relational.

The next question may be, “What matters should I bring to my Father?” My children don’t

hesitate to come to me with various issues. We can rest assured that we, too, can bring every care and concern to God because He indeed cares for us, as 1 Peter 5:7 highlights. Nothing is off-

limits.

Another powerful point about recognizing our relationship in prayer is when we need direction, just as earthly parents strive to lead and guide, God is the same way. Proverbs 3:6 (NASB 1995) says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Some versions of the Bible say, “He will direct your path.” Just as parents don’t want to see their

children fail, neither does our Father. His guidance is reliable, and it is through prayer we receive

this.

Finally, if you have been around a child for any period, I am sure you have heard questions such as, “Why do I have to do that?” or “What does that mean?” As God’s children, we can ask

questions to gain wisdom. James 1:5 (NASB 1995) states, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let

him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Need clarity? Ask our Father.

When we remember our relationship in prayer, we can boldly yet respectfully approach our

Father and be reminded to speak and listen. When our Father responds, we can trust that what He says is for our good, even if we don’t agree or understand. We can go to our Father with joy,

pain, confusion, and fear, knowing He is trustworthy, faithful, and, most notably, our Father

loves us and desires a healthy, thriving relationship with each of His precious children.

About Quinnise

Quinnise Pettway is the author of a book titled, A Glimpse of Our Father: Lessons Parenthood Reveals for All of God’s Children. Quinnise is also a blogger, facilitator, Licensed Professional Counselor, wife, and

mother whose mission is to help Christians encounter and embrace God as Father and walk boldly in their identity as His beloved children.