Our Father...Sample

The Gift of Access

Do you come to prayer like a beggar—or like a child at home?

One of the most powerful shifts in the Lord’s Prayer is how Jesus invites us to see God: not as a distant ruler, but as Father. And not only Father, but our Father. This redefines our relationship with God. We don’t come as strangers. We come as children who belong.

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) boldly encourages us: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” In ancient times, access to a throne was rare and guarded. But Jesus, through his life, death, and resurrection, has opened the way. We now have unrestricted access to the presence of God. That’s no small thing.

And yet, how often do we hesitate? How often do we approach God with reluctance, shame, or uncertainty? We forget that the door is open. That God delights in our nearness. That he isn’t impatient or unreachable.Romans 5:2 (NIV) reminds us, “Through him we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

In this week of becoming children, let prayer remind you of your place in the Father’s house. You're not knocking from the outside. You’ve already been welcomed in.

Prayer:
Father, thank you that I have access to you. Not because I’ve earned it, but because Jesus made a way. Help me to approach you today with confidence, not fear. Remind me that I belong in your presence and that you are always near.