Today’s reading is Matthew 6:9.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’”
Before we ask. Before we praise. Before we whisper a single word—Jesus invites us to begin with one truth: God is our Father.
Not a distant deity. Not a cold judge. A Father. And like any good father, He is worthy of honor.
Years ago, I met a woman whose story still echoes in my heart. She grew up in a home where love was unevenly poured. Her mother favored her sisters and left her in the shadows. Yet when her mother grew old and frail, it was this daughter—the overlooked one—who opened her door and her heart.
A friend asked, “Why? After all she did to you?”
Her answer? “Because it’s not about her. It’s about me.”
Honor isn’t earned. It’s chosen. We don’t honor because someone deserves it. We honor because of who we are.
And when it comes to our Heavenly Father, He is always worthy. But even if He weren’t, we would still honor Him because it’s not about Him. It’s about us. About the kind of children we choose to be.
So when you pray, begin with honor. Begin with “Our Father.” Let those words shape your heart. Because honoring Him isn’t just a reflection of who He is—it’s a reflection of who you are.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.