Sunday 28 April 2013

To Dad

Creator of the universe, we thank you that Jesus said we could call you Father.
We praise your name and worship you with our lips and lives.
Thank you that your rule on earth begins with Jesus and those who chose to belong to you and we long for it to fill the whole earth.
Give us grace to live as willingly for you as the angels do.
We trust you for our needs each day.
Thank you for forgiving us through the sacrifice of Jesus and help us to be just as generous to other people.
Father, sometimes you allow hard things to happen to make sure it's you we're trusting and not our own cleverness. Help us to be true to you and not give way to satan's tricks.
For it's all about you, Father, about a world where you're the boss, and your strength sustains everything and you are the only one who deserves worship.
Always and always.
Definitely.

I wrote this as an exercise in making liturgy. It was good practise I think to try and rewrite the Lord's prayer, as it's so easy for it to trip off the tongue without thought or meaning.

I learned to recite it as a child. I don't remember a time when I didn't know it and it was probably the best thing my mother ever taught me even though at the time I didn't appreciate it and regarded it as a sprint to be accomplished before bed. All through my schooldays I recited it in morning assembly. Repetitive, pointless? It seemed so then but God had a mention every day of my young life.

What are the most valuable things that parents might teach today's' children? Which habits are the beneficial ones that store up treasure in the right place?


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