Praying Like Jesus: Embracing God's Holiness and Our Identity

In our spiritual journey, prayer often becomes a routine—a checklist of requests or a hurried conversation with the divine. But what if we could transform our prayer life into something more profound, more intimate, and more aligned with God's heart? This transformation begins when we learn to pray like Jesus.

The Lord's Prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13, offers us a blueprint for connecting with our Heavenly Father. It's not just a set of words to recite, but a guide on how to approach God. Jesus begins with a revolutionary concept: "Our Father in heaven." This simple phrase carries immense weight, inviting us into a familial relationship with the Creator of the universe.

In the Old Testament, God was rarely addressed as Father. The idea of personally calling God "Father" was unthinkable, even blasphemous. Yet Jesus introduces this intimate way of relating to God, revealing a new dimension of our spiritual identity. Through Christ, we are adopted into God's family. As Romans 8:14-16 beautifully expresses, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."

This adoption is not universal. While everyone is a creation of God, only those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can truly call themselves children of God. It's a profound truth that should reshape our understanding of our relationship with the divine.

But how do we view God as Father? Our perspectives may vary based on our experiences with earthly fathers. Some might see God as stern and distant, while others might relate to Him more easily. The key is to embrace the biblical image of God as our "Abba"—an intimate term akin to "Daddy" or "Papa." This is the kind of relationship Jesus invites us into—one where we can approach God with confidence and vulnerability.

As we pray, we're encouraged to picture God leaning in, eager to hear from us, giving us His full attention. It's a far cry from the image of a distant, disinterested deity. This God is
relational, desiring genuine connection with His children.

The Lord's Prayer continues with, "Hallowed be your name." This phrase acknowledges God's holiness—His separateness and uniqueness. To hallow God's name means to recognize His infinite perfection and otherness. As we contemplate God's holiness, we encounter attributes that set Him apart:

1. He is infinite and eternal, existing beyond the constraints of time.
2. He is immutable, unchanging in His nature and commandments.
3. He is self-sufficient, needing nothing yet desiring relationship with us.
4. He is sovereign, maintaining control while granting us free will.
5. He is omnipresent, everywhere at once.
6. He is omniscient, knowing us intimately.
7. He is just, perfectly balancing justice with mercy.
8. He is omnipotent, all-powerful beyond our comprehension.

Recognizing God's holiness should naturally lead us to worship. It's not just about corporate worship on Sundays, but about cultivating a lifestyle of reverence and awe. Our prayers should transcend mere requests and lead us to worship God for who He is.

Yet, God's holiness presents a dilemma. While we're drawn to Him, we also feel unworthy in His presence. Isaiah 6:1-5 captures this tension beautifully, showing the prophet's awe and self-awareness before a holy God. But here's the astounding truth: God calls us to be holy too.

Hebrews 12:14 instructs us to "make every effort... to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." This isn't about achieving moral perfection through our own efforts. Our holiness stems from our relationship with Jesus Christ. As 1 Corinthians 6:11 reminds us, we are "washed... sanctified... justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

God expects us to cultivate a lifestyle that reflects His holiness. We're meant to look different from the world, not in who we are, but in the choices we make because of whose we are. This transformation isn't achieved through sheer willpower but through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us.

As we grow in holiness, God desires to draw others to Himself through our lives. We become Christ's ambassadors, tasked with reconciling the world to Him. This calling can feel daunting, especially when we're more aware of our faults than our spiritual maturity. But we must remember that God can use us despite our imperfections.

Ephesians 3:20 encourages us with the truth that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." This verse challenges us to expand our vision of what God can do through us. It invites us to partner with Him in reaching the world for Jesus, one person at a time, one relationship at a time.
The key to spiritual growth and effective ministry lies in two things: prayer and a commitment to living out God's Word. As we invest in our faith and in each other as a community, we grow in spiritual maturity both individually and collectively.

When we truly grasp God's holiness and recognize that He calls us to be holy, it transforms how we live. Our distinctiveness will draw others to Him. It's not about isolation but about living a different life—relating to others in new ways through our words, actions, and attitudes.

In a world eager for conflict, living like Jesus will draw people to Him. As we pray and witness God answering those prayers, we'll see the impossible become possible. Understanding God's holiness deepens our faith and inspires fresh worship. We realize that He can make us holy and wants to draw the world to Himself through our lives.

We serve a good, good Heavenly Father. As we embrace this truth and learn to pray like Jesus, our prayer lives will be transformed. We'll move beyond rote recitations to genuine, intimate conversations with our Creator. We'll recognize our identity as His children and our calling to reflect His holiness in the world.

So, let's approach prayer with renewed passion and purpose. Let's come before our Father with confidence, acknowledging His holiness and embracing our identity in Christ. As we do, we'll discover the transformative power of praying like Jesus—a power that can change not only our lives but the world around us.