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When a British bank ran out of capital and declared bankruptcy in 1995, experts said the cause was giving a 28-year-old inexperienced trader authority to trade without any supervision. When people think they are smart enough to function without being accountable to anyone, they’re on the road to disaster. That’s why Jesus taught us to recognize in prayer God’s right to govern both our lives and our world. We find Jesus’ guidelines for praying in Matthew Chapter 6. He taught us that in life and in prayer we should recognize God as our Father in heaven. Earthly fathers procreate, protect, and provide. So does our heavenly Father. Jesus said He deserves our highest esteem. He said pray that the Father’s will prevails on earth as it does in heaven—even though Jesus knew it would never happen perfectly until He returns. We can petition our Father to provide our daily needs—then trust Him to do it. We ask Him to forgive our sins just as we forgive those who sin against us. And since every person faces temptation of some sort, we can ask our Father to help us resist temptation and deliver us from the clutches of the master tempter: Satan. When we recognize our need for God as our Father, and use prayer to express our need, and as a way to fellowship with Him, life on earth is enriched and fulfilling.
