Prayest Thou

I’m from an older generation (as if that weren’t obvious!) I’ve just read a bulletin board post regarding archaic, sixteenth century words parroting the King James Bible in public prayer.

Ooops, they got me again. Yep, I still use ‘thou, thine, thee, thy’ and not just in the Lord’s Prayer.

Part of that goes back to when I studied Spanish a half century ago. Soy, eres, es. I am, thou art, you are. The familiar. I still use the familiar when I pray, whether it is public or private.

Please do not laugh at me for doing so, and I won’t laugh at your new-fangled ideas. No, I don’t use the familiar, as Quakers did centuries ago, with family members. Yes, I do continue using the Authorized King James Version of the Bible that retains thee, thou, etc., the -ests and -eths. You know that from reading my posted verses.

I find them comfortable, and in many ways comforting. Does it mean my prayers are lessened? Or, enhanced? Nope. Doesn’t make them better, nor worse – just mine.

What bothers me though is the removal of our Lord and Savior’s name and title, Jesus Christ, from every public prayer in the United States. Each year a multitude of cases are filed over the inclusion of His name in public prayers.

Is that freedom of religion? Does any individual’s public prayer actually establish a religion? Or does the silencing of an individual’s ability to speak His name constitute infringement on open expression of religious freedom?

Does the American public truly wish to silence religion? To encase it in history books, but not allow open displays? To filter words to the point that even moments of silence are construed to indicate a religious event?

So, please allow me to pray “Thy kingdom come” and know that I truly pray that Jesus Christ’s kingdom is desired; “Thy will be done” and know that I bend myself to seek and to follow His bidding, in Jesus' name. Be not concerned that I wish His will to be imposed on you. To follow or not is totally your decision – not mine.

Prayer threads its way through the entire word of God. There are many things to regard about it:

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16 KJV)

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; (Philippians 1:9 KJV)

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV)

Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 KJV)

May God bless and keep you, and bless the reading of His word.