The Lord’s Prayer Rewritten

Papa God,

Your reign above all of creation, you are beyond our capacity to approach.

Let your power and reign come into our world, into our lives; let you plan and desire become our plans and desires; let our world become good, true, and beautiful like your paradise.

Bless us beyond our wildest imagination, Papa God; give us all that we need and more.

Hold not our wrongs against us; don’t punish us where we go astray, but empower us to live out your mercy, love, compassion, and forgiveness in every aspect of our lives.

Papa God, protect and preserve us—save us from sin, death, and the power of the devil; let evil and wickedness have no place or power in our lives.

For yours, Papa God, are all good things—all power, all goodness, all praise, all majesty, all glory, and all beauty—your truly are all these things, now and forevermore.

Let it be so.

2 responses to “The Lord’s Prayer Rewritten”

James F. McGrath

May 1, 2018

Why use “papa” rather than “father”? Abba, as has so often been emphasized, is simply the Aramaic word for “father.”

1. Jacob J. Prahlow
  
  May 1, 2018
  
  True, though this prayer isn’t an attempt at a translation, and “papa” also just means “father.”
  
  I used “papa” to convey the child-like approach I was hoping to attain in praying.
  
  Thanks, JJP

Pursuing Veritas

Reflections by Jacob J. Prahlow