I’m one of those annoying people who likes to correct others incorrect use of the English language. I don’t know why. It’s not like I’m an expert in English. In fact, my last English class was my junior year in high school 11 years ago. My step mom was a junior high English teacher. Maybe it was the joy I had in finding flaws in her grammar that brought me amusement when correcting her.
In any case, it seems in the past two weeks I’ve heard something said in prayers that I find interesting. It is this phrase: “We thank Thee for Thy Savior…”
Now, in my mind it would seem more appropriate to say “Thy Son” or “Our Savior”. It would seem to me that since we are addressing our Heavenly Father, the term “Thy Savior” would imply that Jesus was the Savior of God the Father, which is not the case. For what is a savior? According to Dictionary.com, a savior is “a person who saves, rescues, or delivers.” Certainly our Heavenly Father does not need to be saved, rescued, or delivered as he is God and is perfect.
As long as I’m on the topic, I might also point out something I hear much more often over the pulpit. When a person closes a talk or testimony I often hear: “I say these things in the name of thy Son…” This works well in prayers when you are addressing your Heavenly Father, but when you are addressing a congregation, I think it is better to leave out “thy Son” and simply close in the name of Jesus Christ. Even changing one letter might be appropriate: “the Son.”
I hope I don’t offend anyone by my comments. My hopes are instead that we might be more conscious in how we speak of our Savior.