The Lord’s Prayer - Introduction
Our Father who art
in heaven.
What does this mean?
Answer - God would thereby [with this little introduction] tenderly
urge us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true
children, so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear
children ask their dear father.
Prayer is an act of worship where we bring our petitions
before God with our hearts and lips and offer to Him our praise and
thanksgiving. In prayer, we uphold one
another, taking our needs burdens joys and sorrows to the throne room of grace
and we’re thankful, as the Savior answers each petition.
When we pray, we should always remember to whom we are
speaking. We are addressing God. We should never repeat prayers thoughtlessly,
but rather think of what we are doing and mean what we are saying. The value of prayer is not in the length and
number, nor in correct speech. It is important to pray from the heart,
earnestly and sincerely. Prayers may be brief, but they need to be both strong
and fervent.
Almighty God, since
You have granted us the favor to call on You with one accord and have promised
that where two or three are gathered together in Your name You are in the midst
of them, fulfill now the prayers of Your servants, granting us in this world
knowledge of Your truth and in the world to come life everlasting; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord
Collect For an answer
to prayer, Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Artwork by Ed Rojas, © Higher Things
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