Category: Lord’s Prayer

Paraphrase: A Restatement of a Text


All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God 
and fit him fully for all branches of his work.
(2 Timothy 3:16,17 J.B. Phillips translation)


Monotony gives birth to boredom. This is my paraphrase of the familiar quote: “Familiarity breeds contempt.” To have contempt towards someone is to say that someone is not worthy or to lack respect towards him. God is totally worthy of my respect and adoration, but I must admit that sometimes I gloss over a familiar Scripture. I repeat it with little heart and not much mental engagement. 

One of the most comforting prayers for me is the Lord’s Prayer. Yet at times, I just recite it without much thought. Several years ago, I translated the words based on a study of the prayer in the original Aramaic. And today, I decided to paraphrase the prayer into a colorful collage! (See above.)

Here’s my translation:

Our Father of heaven–
Only so very holy is your name.
Come your kingdom, Your will to be (accomplished) in what manner, means and process of our heaven; also (likewise, in the like manner) on our earth.
Give us the bread of our need (relief or supply, necessity) today, this very day, on this present day of the week, twenty four hours, from daybreak to sunset.
Leave (take away, without interference) our sins in the same manner, that we likewise leave (let go) these sins done to us.
Protect us by not letting us enter, pass into or cause temptation (the act of tempting, or enticing to evil, seduction; that which tempts nor an inducement or allurement to evil.)
But cut through, cleave us from, separate and deliver us from evil (Satan, as well as wickedness, worthlessness and unfortunate and sinful tendencies.)


Try your own paraphrase of a familiar passage of Scripture to see how it changes your perspective.


In 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time, Pam Farrel relates a time when she was struggling with depression after a major move and life transition. She called a friend, who listened to her, then asked her this question: “Pam, what character trait, what attribute of God are you forgetting?” Pam said, “Well, pretty much all of them!” This conversation led Pam to go to her Bible to paraphrase favorite Scriptures into affirmations of God’s character.

Here is her strategy for personalizing Scripture during your quiet time:

Simply brainstorm key words that might lead you to verses that would help [you or a friend]. You might need to take the key words and find biblical words that are similar. For example, stress is a very common feeling, but the word stress is not in the Bible. The words perseverance, endure, endurance, long-suffering are. Sometimes it is helpful to look for opposites. For example, if you are struggling with worry, look up peace.

What struggles are hitting your life or the lives of the ones you love? Brainstorm a list of words you can look up to find verses of comfort and hope.

©Pam Farrel from 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time (IVP). For more devotional books by Pam http://www.Love-wise.com


To find Scriptures by topic, check out the topical index tab at www.biblegateway.com.


If you are just joining us for 31 Days of Quiet, click here to see the whole list of ideas to spice up your quiet times with God.
To check out all nine categories of 31 Days Of…click over to the nesting place to see the multitude of topics! Surely one will pique your interest.


Posted on by kelrohlf 2

Temptation: A Cause or Occasion for Enticement

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, 
that you may be able to bear it. 
(1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)

To entice someone is to “attract artfully or adroitly by arousing hope or desire.” (www.m-w.com)

Why should I ask God, the Father, to not lead me into temptation? Especially when I know God does not tempt anyone.  (James 1:13-15) A more accurate translation might be “Do not let us enter into temptation.” In essence we are praying, “Prevent me from sinning or show me the way out before I even get tangled in it.”

We are enticed by our selfish desires to give in to the temptations of this world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, which beckon us daily. (1 John 2:15-16)

Each of the requests in this prayer have a daily necessity to them. Not only must I ask for daily sustenance, I need forgiveness and protection day by day. 

One of my temptations is to let down my guard by slowly neglecting these requests, until in desperation, I cry out the last petition of the prayer: “Lord, deliver me from evil!”

It is interesting that in some translations the phrase is stated: “Deliver us from the evil one.”  
We know the tempter, the devil, does tempt us. He entices us to false hope (believing someone or something else can comfort us outside of God’s divine love) or to despair (distrusting the goodness of God), both which arouse in us a selfish desire to numb ourselves to the pain and disappointments of life. 

As much as I need daily bread, I need daily deliverance. Deliverance from myself and from the temptation to believe lies from the enemy of my soul. And so, I must pray daily: “Lord Jesus, deliver me from evil. Fill me with your hope and truth. Amen.”


How has God delivered you recently?

Posted on by kelrohlf 2

Teach: To Accustom to Some Action or Attitude

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, 
and when he was finished, one of his disciples said, 
“Lord, teach us to pray . . .”
(Luke 11:1 ESV)






When I think of written prayer, the most famous one that comes to mind is “The Lord’s Prayer.” This prayer brings comfort to many around the world daily, as it is recited in unison. It is familiar to both religious and secular people.

In Luke’s gospel the prayer is recorded as a response to one disciple’s request: “Lord, teach us to pray.”  The disciple made his request after he had witnessed Jesus praying. Jesus modeled prayer. And He gave us a written prayer to reference as a teaching guide. 

Each line is full of instruction and affirmation of what it means to pray, to ask in faith based on our relationship with God. This first phrase is full of love and belonging. Jesus doesn’t teach us to pray to His father, but to our inclusive Father. 

He tells us where our Father dwells. He is of heaven, a place beyond us, yet the unseen One makes Himself known to us through His Son. And through this very Son invites us to beseech Him as Father. A Father who intimately loves us and knows our words before they even form on our tongue. 

To simply meditate on this one line of the prayer evokes the attitude of a contented child. To act upon this hope of heaven and to respond to the Father who loved us enough to send our eldest Brother to embody this truth, births in me a desire to love God.

No wonder the next line is “Hallowed be thy name!”


How does it feel to know that God is our Father? How does this truth affect your attitude or direct your actions?


Posted on by kelrohlf 2

How Then Should I Pray?

 

Pray then like this—

Our Heavenly Father,
may your name be honoured;
May your kingdom come,
and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day the bread we need,
Forgive us what we owe to you,
as we have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.
Keep us clear of temptation,
and save us from evil.

(Matthew 6:9-13 J.B Phillips)

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Posted on by kelrohlf 3