In Heaven

In every synagogue there is a sign above the Aron Ha-Kodesh – the place where the Torah, the very words of God, are kept.

“Know before whom you stand.”

It is a reminder that when you come to the Bible, you come before the God of the universe.

It is the same with prayer.

When we come to God, we come to our Father.

Yet, He is our Father in Heaven.

Now, that might conjure up notions of a God who is far off, but that would be entirely missing what Jesus is getting at in His prayer.

On the contrary, God is nearer than your next breath.

But He is not our cosmic buddy. We are not His equals.

Our Father is the God of the universe.

Knowing before whom we stand means coming to God humbly. It means acknowledging that He is God and we are not. It means recognizing that He is infinitely more powerful than we could ever imagine.

That knowledge should drive us also come to Him hopefully.

We do not come to an apathetic or impotent God. We come to a God both willing and able to act on our behalf.

That is why we hope.

The writer of Hebrews says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV).

Biblical hope is more than wishful thinking. It is confidence in who God is and what He has done and what He will do. Our hope is firmly rooted in faith in our Father. Our hope is in the One who is able and willing to answer.

Jesus, in calling us to come to our Father, calls us to pray reverent and relational prayers.

Jesus, in calling us to come to our Father in Heaven, calls us to pray humble and hopeful prayers.

Come to God this way.

Know before whom you stand.