OUR FATHER

When we hear the words "Our Father" we immediately think of the Lord's Prayer. In fact some of our Catholic friends refer to the prayer given by Jesus, not as the Lord's Prayer but as the "Our Father". Jesus himself was the Unique One who also referred to God as "my Father". His intimate relationship with His Father is very evident throughout the Gospels.
I find it intriguing that in Isaiah, God is called "Father" several times in two chapters. This is quite rare in the OT. It is too late at night right now for me to check to see exactly how rare. :) But it is interesting to see the context in which these occur.

Look down from heaven and see, from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
 But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer from of old is your name.
 Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways
    and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance. 

                                       Isaiah 63:15 - 17 (See also Is. 64:8)

Notice how the prophet is asking God who is seen as Father, why He has not been protecting his people. He wonders why the heavenly Father is not treating his people better. Evidently the prophet knows that normally God the Father would protect his children with kindness and love.
As with so many of the teachings in Isaiah, it is not far at all from Isaiah's view of God to the picture of God that Jesus draws for us. God the Father in the OT is the same God in the NT. And we rejoice that He is our Father in Heaven today.