The Father of Jesus – and your Father

 “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” John 20.17

At times prayer can be incredibly moving, with a real sense of the closeness of God, but on other occasions it feels as if we are talking to a brick wall!  At times like this God can seem like a distant concept or a vague being.

Jesus pierces such sentiments when he underlines the truth – that there is a real similarity between his own relationship with God and ours.  The way he put it was to speak of one who was both his Father and our Father, his God and our God.

Perhaps where this really hits home is when we consider the things for which we pray.  Staggering things happened when Jesus spoke to his Father, and our assumption is that he enjoyed such a unique relationship with God that whatever he asked for in prayer would be done.  However, Jesus said that the God and Father to whom he spoke is the same God and Father to whom we speak.

This should give us tremendous encouragement as we come to God in prayer.  He heard Jesus and answered him, so why would the same God and Father not answer us?  Take a moment to acknowledge this truth as you ponder these words: “You are the God and Father of Jesus, and you are also my God and Father.”

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