Prayer is an integral part of our life and gives meaning to our existence. When we are connected to God, our perspective and goals in life get more specific and more defined. Hence , when we enter this New Year, let us resolve to be connected to God through our prayers and receive the strength and direction to face the challenges . Luke chapter 11 gives us the ultimate picture of prayer. “It came to pass, that… Jesus was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1-2)Then Jesus presents the Lord’s Prayer. In Mark 14: 36 , Jesus calls God, “Abba, Father.” There is incredible intimacy here. Abba is a word for Father in many languages from the Middle East. Great intimacy and respect are packed in the words “Abba, Father”. So when we call God ‘ Our Father’ it implies that we can approach Him without any inhibition and with great love and regard. It also implies that He is ready to listen to us. We need to pray as His children. Matthew 18 : 3 exhorts us that we need to become like children, in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, we need to become His children with the right to call Him our Father , so that we approach the throne of Grace with the confidence that we will be heard. Our Father who is in Heaven must be approached with reverence and holiness. Therefore, we who claim Him as our Father must also be holy and pure. We need , to remember who we’re praying to, and where we’ve come. This must make us realize our state of utter unworthiness and our need to be cleansed first. In Luke 15: 20-24, we read in the Parable of the Prodigal Son that our Father waits for us if we are lost! We need to first realize that we are endowed with the right and privileges to lead a free life as God’s children . This awareness will also enable us to acknowledge our unworthiness and our dependence on His grace to cleanse and accept us. When we approach Him in this state of brokenness and call Him ‘ Father” , it results in the openness of Heaven . Yes, Heavens will open to receive our prayers. May God bless us in this New Year so that we can approach Him as His children and become partakers of the His threefold blessings- spiritual, emotional and physical. May God our father, expand our territories in this New Year and guide us through fresh adventures.

Dr. (Mrs.) Edriana Jeyasingh