A Simple Way to Pray # 2

A Simple Way to Pray

The Second Petition: Thy Kingdom Come

The Second Petition: "Thy Kingdom come." Say: "O dear Lord, God, and Father, Thou seest how worldly wisdom and reason not only profane Thy name and ascribe the honor due to Thee to lies and to the devil, but how they also take the power, might, wealth and glory which Thou hast given them on earth for ruling the world and thus serving Thee, and use it in their own ambition to oppose Thy kingdom. They are many and mighty; they plague and hinder they tiny flock of Thy kingdom who are weak, despised, and few. They will not tolerate Thy flock on earth and think that by plaguing them they render a great and godly service to Thee. Dear Lord, God and Father, convert them and defend us. Convert those who are still to become children and members of Thy kingdom so that they with us and we with them may serve Thee in Thy kingdom in true faith and unfeigned love and that from Thy kingdom which has begun, we may enter into Thy eternal kingdom. Defend us against those who will not turn away their might and power from the destruction of Thy kingdom so that when they are cast down from their thrones and humbled, they will have to cease from their efforts. Amen."

The Third Petition: Thy Will be Done

The third petition: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Say: "O dear Lord, God and Father, Thou knowest that the world, if it cannot destroy Thy name or root out Thy kingdom, is busy day and night with wicked tricks and schemes,strange conspiracies and intrigue, huddling together in secret counsel, giving mutual encouragement and support, raging and threatening and going about with every evil intention to destroy Thy name, word, kingdom, and children. Therefore, dear Lord, God and Father, convert them and defend us. Convert those who have yet to acknowledge Thy good will that they with us and we with them may obey Thy will and for Thy sake gladly, patiently, and joyously bear every evil, cross,and adversity, and thereby acknowledge, test, and experience Thy benign, gracious, and perfect will. But defend us against those who in their rage, fury, hate, threats, and evil desires do not cease to do us harm. Make their wicked schemes, tricks, and devices to come to nothing so that these may be turned against them, as we sing in Psalm 7:16.

The Fourth Petition: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

The fourth petition. "Give us this day our daily bread." Say: "Dear Lord, God and Father, grant us Thy blessing also in this temporal and physical life. Graciously grant us blessed peace.Protect us against war and disorder. Grant to our dear emperor (President or Ruler of the Country)  fortune and success against his enemies. Grant him wisdom and understanding to rule over his earthly kingdom in peace and prosperity. Grant to all kings, princes, and rulers good counsel and the will to preserve their domains and their subjects in tranquility and justice. Especially and guide our dear prince N., under whose protection and shelter Thou dost maintain us,so that he may be protected against all harm and reign blessedly,secure from evil tongues and disloyal people. Grant to every estate-townsman or farmer - to be diligent and to display charity and loyalty toward each other. Give us favorable weather and good harvest. I commend to Thee my house and property, wife and child. Grant that I may manage them well, supporting and educating them as a Christian should. Defend us against satan and all his wicked angels who would do us harm and mischief in this life. Amen."

The Fifth Petition: Forgive Us Our Trespasses

The fifth petition: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Say: "O dear Lord, God and Father, enter not into judgment against us because no man living is justified before Thee. Do not count it against us as a sin that we are so unthankful for Thine ineffable goodness, spiritual,and physical, or that we stray into sin many times every day, more often that we can know or recognize. Psalm 19:12. Do not look upon how good or how wicked we have been but only upon the infinite compassion which Thou hast bestowed upon us in Christ, Thy dear Son. Grant forgiveness also to those who have harmed or wronged us, as we forgive them from our hearts. They inflict the greatest injury upon themselves by arousing Thy anger in their actions toward us. We are not helped by their ruin; we would much rather that they be saved with us. Amen." (Anyone who feels unable to forgive, let his ask for grace so that he can forgive; but that belongs in a sermon.)

The Sixth Petition: Lead Us Not Into Temptation

The sixth petition: "And lead us not into temptation." Say: "O dear Lord, Father and God, keep us fit and alert, eager and diligent in Thy Word and service, so that we do not become complacent, lazy, and slothful as though we had already achieved everything. In that way the fearful devil cannot fall upon us,k surprise us, and deprive us of Thy precious word or stir up strife and factions among us and lead us into other sin and disgrace, both spiritually and physically. Rather grant us wisdom and strength through Thy Spirit that we may valiantly resist him and gain the victory. Amen."

The Seventh Petition: But Deliver Us From Evil

The seventh petition: "But deliver us from evil." Say: "O dear Lord, God and Father, this wretched life is so full of misery and calamity, of danger and uncertainty, so full of malice and faithlessness (as Paul says, "The days are evil" (Eph. 5:16) that we might rightfully grow weary of life and long for death. But Thou, dear Father, knowest our frailty; therefore help us to pass in safety through so much wickedness and viliainy; and, when our last hour comes, in Thy mercy grant us a blessed departure from this vale of sorrows so that in the dace of death we do not become fearful or despondent but in firm faith commit our souls into Thy hands. Amen."

Amen

Finally, mark this, that you must always speak the Amen firmly. Never doubt that God in his mercy will surely hear you and say "yes" to your prayers. Never think that you are kneeling or standing alone, rather think that the whole of Christendom, all devout Christians, are standing there beside you and you are standing among them in a common, united petition which God cannot disdain. Do not leave your prayer without having said or thought, "Very well, God has heard my prayer; this I know as a certainty and a truth." That is what Amen means.

You should also know that I do not want you to recite all these words in your prayer. That would make it nothing but idle chatter and prattle, read word for word out of a book as were the rosaries by the laity and the prayers of the priest and monks. Rather do I want your heart to be stirred and guided concerning the thoughts which ought to be comprehended in the Lord's Prayer. These thoughts may be expressed, if your heart is rightly warmed and inclined toward prayer, in many different ways and with more words or fewer. I do not bind myself to such words or syllables, but say my prayers in one fashion today,in another tomorrow, depending upon my mood and feeling. I stay however, as nearly as I can, with the same general thoughts and ideas.It may happen occasionally that I may get lost among so many ideas in one petition that I forego the other six. If such an abundance of good thoughts comes to us we ought to disregard the other petitions, make room for such thoughts, listen in silence, and under no circumstances obstruct them. The Holy Spirit himself preaches here, and one word of his sermon is far better than a thousand of our prayers. Many times I have learned more from one prayer than I might have learned from much reading and speculation.

~Martin Luther~

(continued with # 3 An Eagerness for Prayer