The late theologian J.I. Packer, in his book, Praying the Lord’s Prayer.
“We should certainly not content ourselves with parroting other people’s prayers, nor would God be content if we did (for what parent could be happy if his child only ever spoke to him in quotations, thus limiting his conversation to the reciting of other people’s sentiments?)”
Amen.
When our kids ask us for stuff, talk with us about things — their lives, life itself, what goes on — I’d hate for them to do so as guarded, halting, hesitant, formal.
Do I want them to come to me as someone approaches a king in what can, at best, be described as hopeful fear?
We see a lot of that in the Old Testament, but Christ changed everything.
Jesus the King chatted with kids, everyone, about everything and in their language.
And that’s how we’re to receive him, that’s how we’re to have a relationship with him. As children. Not scared or afraid of a parent’s capricious anger.
But, fully confident, that he wants to chat with us about everything and anything – just like we do our children.
