Our Father

The prayer which is often referred to as the “Our Father” lends itself to considerable scrutiny, if only because Jesus himself told us to pray “like” it. Notice that He didn’t say “exactly” like it. Did He mean to use these precise words, or did He want us to express these ideas in our own words? I suppose we’ll never know, but it seems that this prayer has come down through the ages to us as pretty near perfect, so “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I wonder how we could pray the same thoughts in different words? Should we? Certainly the most eye-catching expression in the entire composition is the first: “OUR FATHER.” How utterly incomprehensible that the Creator of the universe—of ALL other universes—considers us his children, and that we—all humans—are his family. Let that roll around in your consciousness for a spell. We are all in his FAMILY, bound together by his love. Bask in THAT and ask yourself if you really believe it? If so, what difference does it make in our daily lives, work, and relationships? Puts a new slant on “brother” and “sister,” doesn’t it?
Come to think of it, Jesus’s word for “father” is “abba,” meaning ‘Daddy.” Wouldn’t you like to crawl up onto your daddy’s lap and bask in his wisdom and love? Why don’t you?