When we approach God, the Father in prayer, we should be immediately humbled by the relationship. Consider the way royalty has been approached in the past. With great concern over the welfare of the Israelites, Esther bravely sought for certain favors before the king of Persia. The custom of the time was that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live (Esther 4:11). Whether Esther lived or died depended upon whether this king would acknowledge her as she approached him. What if the same were true of our prayers to God?
Elohim is greater than any king, yet He has no rules about who may approach Him. Although infinitesimally greater than we or any worldly king, His golden scepter is continually held out, inviting us to come to Him, for he giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (James 1:5). Still, there should be no casualness, no flippancy, no triteness about the communication. Those who appear before royalty always acknowledge their superiority, choosing their words carefully and respectfully. The same reverence should be shown when approaching the Father of the King of Kings, for it is our privilege to approach him without the fear of reproach or punishment—even when we deserve to be punished!
David O. McKay
"'Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name . . .' Hallow --to make holy -- to hold in reverence.
'Reverence,' wrote Ruskin, 'is the noblest state in which a man can live in the world. Reverence is one of the signs of strength; irreverence one of the surest indications of weakness. No man will rise high who jeers at sacred things. The fine loyalties of life must be reverenced or they will be foresworn in the day of trial.'
"Charles Jefferson, the author of "The Character of Jesus" writes: 'Men in many circles are clever, interesting, brilliant, but they lack one of the three dimensions of life. They have no reach upward. Their conversation sparkles, but it is frivolous and often flippant. Their talk is witty, but the wit is often at the expense of high and sacred things.'" (Conference Reports, Oct. 1950, p. 164)
Bruce R. McConkie
"How glorious it is to address such a holy and exalted person by the greatest of all titles, Father, and to be privileged to have audience with him on our own invitation, anytime we pray in faith with all the strength and energy of our souls!" (The Mortal Messiah, Book 2, p. 151)