Kinfolk

This is something I read, by Will Campbell, recorded in his writing, 'God on Earth', recorded in the book, 'Disciplines For the Inner Life.'

"Teach us to pray."
And He did. "Do it this way," He told them.
"When you pray say, 'Our Father.'"
Dear Abba.

Father. KINFOLKS!
Not "Our God." Gods aren't kin to folks.
"Our Father."
No doubt they had heard God referred to as Father before,
but not very often.
Most often the image they heard
the rabbis use was of King.
Or Lord.
The idea of sonship,
of actual kinship had not been developed.

Fathers are kinfolks!
God is God and a human is a human.
God has claims and designs on us
but we have no claims and designs on God.
God is God.

But kinfolks have claims and designs on each other.
Kinfolks ask each other for things:
Give us some bread, something to eat.
Don't hold things against us.
Forgive us.
Excuse and understand.
Comfort and accept us.
Protect and defend us.
Keep us away from the Evil One.
Keep the Evil One away from us.

Kinfolks is a good idea.