Think on what I call some happy mistranslations from children. We know it like this, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thou name.” But one child prayed it like this, “Our Father who art in new heaven, how do you know my name.” What a great reminder this is. Our Father in heaven knows your name. You matter; you are special to him. Here is another happy mistranslation. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” One little child said it this way, “The Lord is my shepherd and that’s all I want.” The good news of our faith is that when we know God, when we trust in him, when we obey him, we will discover that he is our good shepherd and that God is all we need. One last mistranslation comes from a children’s bedtime prayer. The line we know is, “If I should die before I wake.” But one little boy prayed, “If I should wake before I die.” Perhaps you have fallen asleep to the things that matter most – God, love, relationships, serving others. Wake up to the good and beautiful life that God has for you right now, this day. We have a lot to learn from children.
– Dr. Tim Thompson