很明显这是一个家庭的祷告，它属于神家的每个孩子，并不断提醒我们为其他家庭成员代祷。整个祷文一开首至当中的每项祈求，都是采用复数代名词「我们」--「我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。」以致我们不能不记着，神的家庭有众多儿女，而非只有我一人。当然，在神的眼中，我们每一个都是神的宝贝儿女，但我们往往只为自己的需要向天父祈祷，很少想到神家中的其他成员，这实在是太自私了。

事实上，所有信徒都是神的儿女，都要在神的家中以弟兄姊妹的关系紧紧地结连起来。我要时刻记着，为家里其他成员的需要代祷。家中的每个成员都要彼此代求，在祷告中真诚相交。

你可能会说：「我并不认识神家中的所有成员。」这是事实，可是，你却可以为你所认识的成员代祷。而且，你也可以真诚而简单地为世界各地的信徒代祷。

主祷文以「我们」开始，然后是「天父」。每一个请求都是向祂发出，表明每个神的儿女都是向同一位天父祈祷，就是我们在天上的、全能、永存和永远慈爱的父。

天父只有一位，祂的位置是无可取代的。正如我们肉身的父亲离去，也没有其他人可以完全取代他的位置一样。因此，我们若未曾成为神家中的一份子，神还不是我们的天父，那么，无论我们是谁，也不能用这篇祷文来向天父祈祷。然而，基督已经明言，祂就是去到天父那里的道路，基督正等着带你进入神的家。当你愿意跟从祂进入神的家，你便成为神的儿女，可以仰视天父的慈容，对祂说：「天上的父、我的阿爸父」了。

那刻，你便可以直接向天父陈明你的需要：你今天、每天的需要；同时，你也可以为家中其他成员的需要代求，并在祷告里真诚相交、互相分享与分担。记住我们怎样开口祷告「我们在天上的父」。

It is obvious that this is a family prayer. It belongs to all the children of God. It continually reminds us of the other members of God's family. The first word of the prayer is "Our". Each request uses a plural pronoun - "Give us this day our daily bread". Sometimes we pray as if we were the only child God has. Of course we are just as precious to Him as if we were. But we often pray rather selfishly for ourselves. We pray without very much thought for the rest of God's family.

But we are all bound together as part of God's family. I need to recognize that you have needs for which I should pray. The entire family must be touched by each others' needs. That is the true fellowship of prayer.

You might say, "I don't know all the other members of God's family." True, but do you pray for those you do know? You can always include the entire family as you pray sincerely and simply for fellow believers across the world.

The first word is "Our". The second is "Father". Each request is addressed to Him. We are children speaking to the same Father. He is our Father in heaven, our Almighty, Eternal and ever-loving Father.

No one can take the Father's place. No one can really do it in an earthly family. If the father in the home is gone, there is no one who can adequately replace him. Similarly, no one can take the place of our Heavenly Father. If He is not your Father now, then no matter who you are, you cannot truly pray this prayer. But Christ said that He (Christ) is the way to the Father. He is waiting to bring you into God's family. When you allow Him to do that (and not until then), you will be able to look up into God's face and call Him, "Our Father, my Father, who art in heaven".

You then will be able to tell your Heavenly Father about your daily needs, your present needs and your recurring needs. More than that you will be able to remind Him of the needs of other members of the family and share with them in the true fellowship of prayer. Remember how we start: "Our Father".