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- The Introduction
- Our Father who art in heaven,
- With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father
and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we
may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.
- The First Petition
- Hallowed be thy name,
- God's name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it
may be kept holy among us also. God's name is kept holy when the Word of God is
taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy
lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who
teaches or lives contrary to God's Word profanes the name of God among us.
Protect us from this, heavenly Father!
- The Second Petition
- Thy kingdom come,
- The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray
in this petition that it may come to us also. God's kingdom comes when our heavenly
Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word
and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.
- The Third Petition
- Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven:
- The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we
pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. God's will is done when
he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and
our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God's name or let His kingdom
come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we
die. This is His good and gracious will.
- The Fourth Petition
- Give us this day our daily bread,
- God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all
evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this
and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. Daily bread includes everything
that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink,
clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or
wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government,
good weather, peace, health, self control, good reputation, good friends, faithful
neighbors, and the like.
- The Fifth Petition
- And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
- We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look at our sins,
or deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy of the things for which
we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us
by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment. So we
too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
- The Sixth Petition
- And lead us not into temptation,
- God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us
so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead
us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are
attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the
victory.
- The Seventh Petition
- But deliver us from evil.
- We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue
us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally,
when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this
valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.
- The Conclusion
- For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.
- This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our
Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray
in this way and has promised to hear us.
- Amen.
- Amen, means, "yes, yes, it shall be so."
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