The Prayer of Jesus: Exaltation of God’s Character

“[The Lord’s Prayer] serves as a lens through which to see Jesus himself,” writes N. T. Wright. “When Jesus gave his disciples this prayer, he was giving them part of his own breath, his own life, his own prayer.”

We’ll spend the next five days using the thematic emphases of the Lord’s Prayer as a guide against temptation. If we cannot depend upon self-effort in moments of great struggle and temptation, if we are as prone to fail as our first parents and the nation of Israel, if Jesus alone has proven faithful when tempted, then we need to begin to understand and connect ourselves to the practice of identifying with Christ. Our spiritual fiber, if it is to be made strong, must be composed of Christ’s DNA. It’s His life and mission we must absorb.

The language of the Lord’s Prayer shapes our expectations and connects us to Jesus’ purposes and priorities. We catch a glimpse of how He understood Himself in relationship with His Father.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Jesus’ prayer opens with praise. He declares who God is. This is the pattern offered us in the opening verses of Psalm 145: the psalmist rehearses the character of God and the conduct of God. He sings an anthem of God’s goodness: He keeps His promises, He is generous with second chances, He’s committed to providing for the needs of His people, and He’s mindful of those who are feeble and weak.

We’ve already seen that one of our enemy’s greatest strategies is to incriminate God’s character. Satan prefers that we mistrust God’s good intentions. He’s eager for us to doubt God’s faithfulness. If He can keep us from abiding trust in our Father, he can keep us from loyalty and obedience.