Monday, December 22, 2008

Jesus' Last Prayer and Its Implication for our Prayers

As I was meditating on the prayer life of Jesus, I recognized that everyone of his recorded prayers show him addressing God as Father, save one. Jesus' last prayer is recorded in Matthew 27:46:

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"

As the natural son of God, Jesus had every right to address God as Father. However, Jesus prayed the prayer of those who are eternally separated. He prayed the prayer of the damned so that we can pray the prayer of the Son. We can pray "Abba, Father" because Jesus gave up the right to on the cross. He redeemed us so that we could be adopted as sons and he sent his Spirit into our hearts crying "Abba! Father!"

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