Our Father in heaven

So, I am working through a sort of assignment which was given to me (really, an excellent study project).

Go through each phrase of our Lord's prayer in Matthew chapter six, and ask God to help you understand what each part means and why He put it there. Jesus didn't waste words, after all, so everything in this prayer which He taught His disciples must have great significance.

"Our Father in heaven."

God really is our Father. He is the perfect fulfillment of what a father should be. He loves His children perfectly. He cares for His children perfectly, giving them exactly what He knows they need, and not necessarily what they think they need. He disciplines His children, but out of a perfect love for them. He protects His children. He gives perfect guidance, counsel, and comfort to His children. We can take our requests to Him with confidence because of His love for us.

"Our Father in heaven."

However, we can't physically see Him. We are not able to walk up to Him and give Him a big hug. In certain ways, we are temporarily separated from Him while we are on earth, even thought His Spirit dwells in us. He is perfectly holy, unlike an earthly father. He is greater and more powerful than all. He orchestrates His will from a heavenly, eternal perspective, with His glory in mind. His plans are far beyond ours. He demands holiness from His people, not because He is a tyrant, but because anything unholy would vanish in His presence.

He demands holiness and obedience because He is our Father Who loves us, and He wants us to be with Him.

Peace.