How do we find unity in the words “Our Father” in the Lord’s Prayer?
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he began not with “my Father” but with “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). Those two words carry profound meaning for the Christian life. They remind us that prayer is not a solitary act but a communal reality, drawing believers together as children of the same Father. In a world fractured by individualism, the words “Our Father” restore unity.
Anthony Delgado emphasizes that this phrase points to both intimacy and reverence, shaping not only how we relate to God but also how we relate to one another. This article explores how unity is found in these opening words, why it matters for the church today, and how the Gospel itself is woven into this simple but radical address.
1. Unity Rooted in the Word “Our”
The first word of the Lord’s Prayer is “our,” and it immediately sets the tone.
Communal prayer: Prayer is not only private but corporate. Revelation 8 portrays the “prayers of the saints” rising before God together as incense.
Countering individualism: Modern faith often becomes about personal choice and private belief. But Jesus taught us to pray with and for one another.
Church formation: At Palmdale Church and in historic Christian liturgy, believers learn that prayer is both personal devotion and shared worship.
This emphasis on “our” means that prayer unites believers across boundaries of culture, denomination, and generation. It anchors us in a common identity before God.
2. Unity Rooted in the Word “Father”
If “our” draws us together, “Father” reminds us what unites us: our adoption as children of God.
Intimacy of family: To call God Father is to claim a relationship of love, trust, and access. Tim Keller has noted, “The only person who has the right to wake the king in the middle of the night is his son.” That is the access believers share.
Biblical foundation: Israel was called God’s son (Exodus 4:22), but Jesus deepened this relationship. John 1:12 declares that all who believe in Christ receive “the right to become children of God.”
Immanence and transcendence: “Our Father in heaven” balances closeness and awe. God is present with us, yet sovereign over all creation.
This unites the church not in vague spirituality but in shared adoption. Every believer, regardless of background, enters prayer with the same right: to call God Father.
3. Unity Against Division and Isolation
The words “Our Father” also protect against division in the body of Christ.
Correcting abuses of individualism: Delgado warns that when people treat church as optional or leave whenever challenged, they lose the formation that comes from being shaped together by God’s Word.
Confession in community: James 5:16 calls us to confess sins to one another, showing that prayer is not just private spirituality. Corporate confession and intercession strengthen unity.
Forgiveness as fruit of prayer: In the Lord’s Prayer itself, the petition for forgiveness is tied to forgiving others (Matthew 6:12). Unity requires mercy.
In this way, “Our Father” is not simply an address to God but a challenge to God’s people to live reconciled lives together.
4. Unity Across Heaven and Earth
The phrase also situates believers within the larger biblical story.
Three-tiered cosmology: Ancient Scripture described heaven, earth, and under the earth. Humanity stands between, called to ascend toward God. To say “Our Father in heaven” acknowledges both God’s transcendence and his presence.
Overlap of realms: Heaven and earth are not distant spaces but overlapping realities. As N. T. Wright notes, God’s space and human space are intertwined. In prayer, believers join the story of heaven and earth becoming one.
Eschatological hope: To pray “Our Father” is to look ahead to the day when the family of God will be fully revealed, when every tribe and tongue joins together under Christ.
Unity in the words “Our Father” is therefore not only present but future. It anticipates the coming kingdom when all God’s children are gathered.
5. Unity Shaped by the Gospel
Finally, the unity of “Our Father” flows from the Gospel itself.
Through the Son: Believers call God Father because the Son has made them children through his death and resurrection.
By the Spirit: Romans 8:15 says we cry “Abba, Father” because the Spirit of adoption dwells in us.
Toward the Kingdom: Praying together as children of the Father proclaims allegiance to Christ, who reigns even now.
The Gospel is bigger than private salvation. It creates a new family where God is Father, Christ is Lord, and believers are brothers and sisters. Every time we pray “Our Father,” we rehearse this Gospel reality.
Conclusion
The words “Our Father” are more than a polite introduction to prayer. They are a declaration of unity—unity with one another, unity with God, and unity with the Gospel’s story of redemption. By teaching us to pray this way, Jesus forms us into a family that transcends isolation and anticipates the kingdom to come.
To pray “Our Father” is to step into the truth that God has made us his children in Christ. It is to embrace unity that shapes worship, confession, forgiveness, and hope. It is to live the Gospel in prayer.
Bible Verses on Unity in the Lord’s Prayer
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)
“The prayers of the saints went up before God from the hand of the angel.” (Revelation 8:4)
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.” (1 John 3:1)
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15)
“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.” (Ephesians 4:4)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
