Engage = to do, or to take part in something.

You may or may not be familiar with what’s commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer” found in Matthew 6.  It’s actually a pattern Jesus gave us to think about prayer in a new way.

Jesus said:  9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ Matthew 6:9-13 NASB

Prior to this a lot of prayer in religious circles had become ritualistic; not relational. Prayer was often more about saying words and checking a religious “I did my duty box” than having a conversation with God.

In verse 9, how does Jesus say we should engage God in prayer?

I don’t know if you had (or have) a good relationship with your physical father, but the use of “Father” here is an extremely personal term.  Even if you don’t know what it’s like to have a great relationship with your dad, God wants you to begin to understand what it’s like to have a personal relationship with Him.  God’s a Father who will never abuse or abandon you, and He’s never too busy for you.

God desires to be your personal heavenly Father, and the starting point of understanding and experiencing God as your Father is to become one of His children.  I believe and trust that Scripture is reliable and true.  I don’t know where you line up with this, but if you choose to trust what Scripture says in John 1:12,  how do you become one of God’s children?

John 1:12 NLT says:  But to all who believed him [Jesus] and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Would you take a few minutes to consider the incredible privilege and implications of being able to call on God as your Father.