Faith

Something Familiar…But A Little Different

Last Updated on June 14, 2007

When you think of the Lord’s Prayer, do you think about the meaning of the words or do you just think about the memorized lines that you recite? When you say the same thing over and over again for years, it’s easy to lose sight of the meaning.

I came across an American Indian version of the Lord’s prayer and found it interesting because it takes the same theme and puts it in a slightly different perspective. I hope you find it useful.

Great Spirit, whose teepee is in the sky
And hunting ground is the earth
All afraid of You and mighty are You called;
Ruler over storms, over men and birds and beasts and mountains;
Have Your way over all, over earth ways and sky ways;
Find us this day our meat and corn that we may be strong and brave;
And put aside from us our wicked ways as we put aside the bad of all who do us wrong;
And let us not have troubles that lead into crooked paths;
But keep everyone in our camp from all danger;
For Yours is all that is; the earth and sky, the streams, the hills, and the valleys, the stars, the moon, and the sun: all that live and breathe. Wonderful, shining mighty Spirit!

-Author Unknown

“For yours is all that is.” That’s my favorite line of this version. Some might call this a simplified or less-sophisticated version of the more familiar prayer. But isn’t it interesting how clearly it makes its points?

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.

7 Comments

  • I love The Lord’s Prayer. It is a symbol of everything that is wrong with the Christian religion. Read the story of it in The Bible. basically, it goes like this:

    The apostles came to Jesus and asked him to tell them the right words to say so that God would surely hear their prayers. Jesus told them not to be silly, that there were no “right” words to say. As long as your prayer is sincere, and comes from the heart, it will surely be heard. And he made up a prayer off the top of his head, like this, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

    And the apostles dutifully wrote it all down, and we have been reciting it by rote ever since. Is it any surprise people have difficulty following the example of Christ? His own apostles never listened to him.

    Those who look for God, invariably find him, and remarkably, he looks a lot like they do.

  • The part of the Lords Prayer that I find the most meaningful and challenging is the injunction to forgive as we are forgiven. In any words, this is the essence of Christianity to me.

  • I used to just recite that prayer and not really think of it, as we do many repetitive things in our lives…until i taught it to my lil daughter…but she was inquisitive, even at 4… and i took it line by line and explained what it meant. Even today, if someone even mentions that prayer or has a question about it, i’ve heard her proudly say, ” i Know what that means” and SHE DOES!!
    lol
    Liza

  • I remember memorizing the Lord’s Prayer as a child and using it when in distress but when I became a Born Again Christian I saw how the Lord doesn’t want us to chant a prayer or do mytra’s but rather use the Lord’s Prayer as a model for our prayer life. Prayer is about personal relationships with God and talking to him, not repatious words or chants. I look at the patter or maybe the order Jesus used in that prayer and model my prayers after that sometimes.
    A wonderful book I read on this subject is called The Prayer of Jesus, by Hank Hanagriph (sp)

  • Patrick …. Isn’t it interesting how a simple change of wording can cause us to look at this prayer in a whole new light ? Thanks !!

  • Sometimes I pull out a phrase and meditate on it for a while, or for a few days. It’s a radical prayer. If we each prayed and worked for God’s kingdom here on earth everyday, this would be a different place.

    And I usually begin with “Our Father and Mother. . . “.

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