Pray to Father God or to Jesus Christ!?

SHOULD WE pray to Father God or to Jesus Christ!?

Well, actually BOTH!

In that, BOTH are as ONE.

Both represent the other.

Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray to the Father.

That is our MASTER telling us to pray to the Father, THROUGH Him, and only through Him are we allowed to pray to the Father! Our Lord Jesus will relay our messages to the Father in a way that is purely righteous.

Now, make no mistake – God the Father is over Jesus the Son.

Our Lord Jesus intercedes our prayers for us, to the Father.

“’ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly’” – Matthew 6:6, NKJV throughout.

“’ In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed by Your name’” – verse 9.

Our Lord Jesus is clearly instructing His disciples (His people) to pray to the Father.

And, when speaking to the Father, we are speaking to JESUS!

Jesus is interpreting, in the proper manner, our prayers to the Father.

Prayer is speaking to God.

Now, God speaks to us through His living word – the Holy Bible.

We speak to Him through prayer.

Praying to the Father through Jesus gives honor and respect to BOTH, who are as ONE.

So, while Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father, it does not suggest that we are to pray to the Father only.

The disciples prayed to Jesus.

Understand – after the ascension, with Jesus no longer with them, the disciples understood they could still speak to Him, but now through prayer. Many examples of prayers to Jesus are found in God’s living word.

The apostle Stephen, while being stoned for his testimony for Jesus, looked up and he called out, “ … ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’” – Acts 7:59.

The apostle Paul prayed to Jesus at his conversion, asking, “ …’ Lord, what do You want me to do?’” – Acts 9:6.

Paul also pleaded with the Lord three times regarding the thorn in his flesh, asking that it be removed – 2 Corinthians 12:8.

And, Jesus Christ heard his prayer and responded, “’ My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’” – 2 Corinthians 12:9.

The disciple Ananias at Damascus prayed to Jesus –

“Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’

And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ … 13) Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14) And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name’” – Acts 9:10, 13-14.

The apostle John closes the Holy Bible with a prayer to Jesus.

“ … Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” – Revelation 22:20, 21.

All those who belong to Jesus Christ pray to Him.

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2) To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified [by] Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, both theirs and ours” – 1 Corinthians 1:1-2.

So, while praying, all prayers will always go to Jesus before they will the Father – because Jesus is giving those prayers to the Father when addressed to the Father.

It is very respectful and right to follow the example Jesus has given us for prayer, by praying to the Father THROUGH Jesus. But, it is as well perfectly correct to pray to JESUS directly.

Now, personally, I know that when I pray I am going straight to Jesus, which also includes the Father. And that for me, makes me very comforted in knowing that I am addressing Them BOTH, yet as ONE, but with equal recognition. □

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