The Lord’s prayer in Luke 11:1-4 begins, “Our Father in heaven…” From the very opening, Jesus pushes us beyond ourselves. We tend to center all things on the individual. My actions and thoughts center on my plans, dreams, troubles, joys – ME. To pray, “our,” always subverts selfishness. Not only are we not the subject of prayer (“Our Father” is the center of prayer), but prayer always exists in the plural of community – “our.” If Jesus’ prayer is not just an example of a prayer but a model of prayerful living, then connection with God is always with the other, the divine other and whoever is included in the “our.”
“Our,” is whoever we are praying with. When you pray and set out to do the will of God each day, you are never alone. In prayer we join with the other millions of believers who relate to, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:5-6).”
“Our,” is whoever we are praying for. Praying for another person is an act of community. You are joining your faith with your relationship with that person. So, praying for another person does not exclude you from participating in God’s answer for them. For example, if you pray for their healing, you open yourself up to a willingness to visit, care, and advocate for their health. But what about when I am in need? Even a personal prayer is not really individualized. For example, if I pray for my health, I also join in prayerful living with doctors, family and other caregivers. God is our Father.
“Our,” is whoever belongs to God. Who is included in the “our” Jesus is talking about? Who belongs to God the Father? Everyone! God is the heavenly Father to all even before we come home to him by faith. Consider the story of the father, the prodigal son and his brother (Luke 15:11-32). Did either son ever stop belonging to the Father even when they were estranged from the father’s house? No! We belonged before we believed and so do “they.” Prayer does not exclude us from anyone regardless of faith but unites us to a God dedicated to the restoration of all people, of all creation.