Last night when I was putting the boys to bed, I had a moment while I was praying. My son Michael was clutching my hand and leaning across my chest. I could sense how much he just wanted to be sure that he was a valued part of my life. And I sensed a deep parallel in my relationship with my God, my heavenly Father. Here is a loose paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer that came to me. If it is encouraging for you in some way, wonderful. I hope it is.

Our Father in Heaven

Dad, I want you. Your life seems so big and important, and I don’t understand it all. I feel really little and helpless compared to you. But you’re my Dad, and I know you love me. Can I say something? Please?

Hallowed be Your Name

You’re the best dad ever! All my friends know it. They should, anyways. There’s no one like you. You’re amazing!

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven

I know that you can handle anything. Nothing’s ever too hard for you. And the people you spend time with and work with are pretty incredible, too. It seems like none of you ever messes up. But what about me? Can I help you somehow? I want to be part of what you’re doing. Maybe I can pour the water? Set the table? Crack the eggs for the brownies? Mix them? I would love for things to be just as amazing and perfect here with me as they seem to be when you’re working with your friends. Can you teach me?

Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

I know you take care of my meals all the time, and my clothes, and even my toys and stuff. But still, I kind of think about them… all the time. How do you do it? How do you make sure that I always get what I need? I have no clue how to do that, and it makes me worried that perhaps someday you’ll forget that I need something and I won’t be able to take care of it for myself. Please don’t forget me. I love how you take care of me. Please keep it up. I’m getting a bit hungry right now, actually.

Forgive Us Our Debts as We Have Forgiven Our Debtors

And, um, Dad? I messed up. I left a big mess of crackers all over my chair from the last snack you gave me. And some marker on the wall. And I think I ripped one of my books. You might want to check it out. I’m sorry. Would you forgive me? I mean, you always tell me to forgive my friends. And my little brother. You won’t even let me go and play until I forgive them. So it seems like forgiveness is really important to you. Could you forgive me, just like you make me forgive everyone else?

And Lead Us Not Into Temptation

And something else. Could you help me? I don’t want to leave messes and stuff. Maybe next time I have snack you could sit with me and show me how to do a better job of keeping the crumbs on my plate. Or maybe you could stay in the same room when I’m drawing. I’m just little. I know I’m not supposed to draw on the walls. I know I’m supposed to be more careful with my books. But I get excited. Sometimes the pictures in my head are bigger than the paper, and I just want to draw them the way I see them in my brain. And sometimes I’m so excited about the pictures on one page that I just want to see the next page as fast as I can. So I forget. I forget what I’m supposed to do. But you could be there to keep me from forgetting. I want to make you happy. Could you help me? I’m not very good at doing what I’m supposed to by myself sometimes. I don’t want to mess up.

But Deliver Us From the Evil One

Besides, there are some guys who give me other ideas sometimes. Especially this one guy. Everyone says he’s being bad. But he looks like he’s having so much fun. And I want to have fun like he does. I mean, I don’t, because it’s bad. But I kind of do. He makes people laugh. But when I do the things he shows me how to do, I get in trouble. My friends don’t seem to like me as much sometimes. And you get upset, too. So I really need you to help me learn to do the kinds of things that make you happy. That’s what I want. I want to make you happy. I need you to help me when you see him coming down the street. Tell him I can’t come play so that I don’t keep doing bad things with him. I feel bad saying no to him. But if you say no for me, then he won’t make me feel like I need to do what he says.

For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory Forever and Ever. Amen.

You really are amazing. You make everything perfect for me. I love you, and I love being with you. No one else is as awesome as you are. You really are the best dad ever. So I want to be like you. And I want to learn from you. And I want to help you, and to have you take care of me. I want to be with you and make you happy. All the time. Really. I always want to be with you. Always. Ok? Anyway, that’s what I wanted to say. What do you think?

Note: I have obviously been less than consistent about posting devotional thoughts for a while now, so I’m not going to claim that I’ll be consistent for the next few months, or that the blog will be centered around a certain theme (it was supposed to deal with faith-stretching verses this year). I just hope that these thoughts are still an encouragement to you, whenever they come your way.