It is no secret that the religion of Jesus can be summed up in the word love. But Jesus is no dreamer. He knows that the reality of evil and the wounds we carry can make it difficult for us to love. For this reason the main thrust of his teaching is focused on what it is that creates a loving heart. Right in the middle of his Sermon on the Mount Jesus mentions three things which could be described as a practical programme to help us grow in love. These are the three things the Christian Churches invite its members to practise in earnest each year during the season of Lent. They could be described as the non-negotiable essentials of the Christian religion. They are prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Significantly they are three of the five pillars of Islam.
Jesus’ teaching about God is clear and simple. “Say this when you pray, Our Father in heaven” (Matt 6:9). “You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father and he is in heaven” (Matt 23:9). “Your heavenly Father knows all that you need. Set your hearts on his kingdom first and all these other things will be given you as well” (Matt 6:32-33). Jesus teaches that God is our Father whom we can call Abba. Jesus’ Abba is in relationship with each of us. He knows each of us personally and loves each of us unconditionally. Abba is looking after us and providing for our needs.
If the God of Jesus is called Abba then prayer is spending time with God who is a tender and affectionate Father. “When you pray, go to your private room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is in that secret place” (Matt 6:6). What a beautiful and accessible description of the activity of prayer! Spend time on your own with your Father. During this time thank him for his presence in your life and for looking after you. Talk to him in a personal way about what is happening in your life. Ask him for the things you need, especially the things you need to help you develop a loving heart. And, perhaps most importantly of all, hear him tell you that he loves you unconditionally, as you are. For Jesus prayer is nothing more and nothing less than our personal act of surrender to the Father; to the Father’s love, to his care and to his help. It is an act of surrender we need to make every day.