The Pastor's Windshield - February 2023

This Lent, we are focusing on God’s gift of prayer and especially the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer both so that we can pray it precisely as He taught it and to use as a springboard for our prayers. What followers are some prayers inspired by the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer (from the 2017 edition of Luther’s Small Catechism). Additionally, some suggestions for prayer topics are offered according to each petition. This Lent, you might consider using the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern for daily prayer, focusing on one petition each day of the week. If you try using the petitions for daily prayer, you don’t have to fit in all the suggested prayer topics all the time. Chose some of them that are the most pertinent or add some topics of your own.

Introduction: Our Father who art in heaven.

Heavenly Father, Your words give us boldness and confidence to acknowledge You as our true Father and ourselves as Your true children. May Your Holy Spirit lead us to trust in Your fatherly goodness, call upon Your name in every need, and glorify You as the author and giver of every good and perfect gift; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Suggestions: Talk to your heavenly Father daily about your family, church, community, and nation. Pray for the Holy Spirit. Pray about your plans and commitments for the day. Pray about whatever concerns you currently.

The First Petition: Hallowed be Thy name.

Holy Father, Your name is holy in itself. We pray that through the words we speak about You and through the lives we live as those marked by Your sacred name in Baptism, we may never profane Your name but honor it in all that we say and do; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Suggestions: Give thanks for your Baptism into God’s holy name. Pray for your godchildren, and for catechism students and Christian youth. Pray for Christian parents. Pray for the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

The Second Petition: Thy kingdom come.

Father in heaven, give us Your Holy Spirit so that we believe Your Holy Word and live as members of Your gracious kingdom here in time and finally, by Your mercy, be brought to live as partakers of Your everlasting reign; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Suggestions: Pray for the pastors and leaders of your congregation, district, and synod. Pray for seminary students and missionaries. Pray about specific ministry initiatives or for Christian organizations. Pray for the witness of the church and for those not yet in Christ’s kingdom.

The Third Petition: Thy will be done …

Merciful Father, ruler of all things in heaven and on earth, we acknowledge that Your good and gracious will is done without our prayer. We pray that You would defeat all that opposes Your will: the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature. In Your mercy, we implore You to strengthen and keep us firm in Your Word and faith all the days of our lives and bring us at last the inheritance You have prepared for us in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Suggestions: Pray about any projects, goals, or deadlines you have. Pray for those who are enduring persecution or suffering. Pray for those who’ve received a recent medical diagnosis and for their care. Pray for those who are facing difficult decisions (including yourself).

The Fourth Petition: Give us our daily bread.

Gracious Father, You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. Teach us to acknowledge You as the Lord who provides for all of our needs in body and soul and so give thanks to You for all of Your bountiful gifts; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Suggestions: Pray for godliness in societal vocations. Pray for both national and local leaders in government. Pray for those serving in the armed forces. Pray for favorable weather. Pray for those who are hungry, homeless, unemployed/underemployed or facing other hardships.

The Fifth Petition: Forgive us our trespasses ...

Most merciful Father, our sins make us unworthy to ask anything of You. For the sake of Your dear Son, do not condemn us for our sins, but hear our cries for mercy and forgive us our trespasses. Enlivened by Your forgiveness, we, too, pledge to sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Suggestions: Pray for your neighbors (those next door or nearby). Pray for your enemies or those with whom you are having conflict. Pray for forgiveness wherever you have failed in your vocations or in living according to the Ten Commandments.

The Sixth Petition: Lead us not into temptation.

Heavenly Father, guard and keep us from the assaults of the devil, the deception of the world, and the desires of our sinful nature. Protect us that we may not be deceived or misled by lies about You, be overcome by despair of Your mercy, or be seduced into a way of life that leads only to death. Shield us by Your grace and strengthen us by Your Word and Spirit that we may withstand every attack and finally win the victory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Suggestions: Pray for those in spiritual distress. Pray for specific unbelievers whom you know, that they would be led to repentance and faith. Pray that the Lord would help you overcome the temptations that are troubling you.

The Seventh Petition: Deliver us from evil.

Father in heaven, look on our neediness with the eyes of Your mercy and compassion. Rescue us from everything that would cause harm and destruction to us both physically and spiritually. Keep us in the true faith and finally bring us through the disappointments and sorrows of this life to live with You forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Suggestions: Pray for those who are elderly, homebound, chronically ill, receiving hospice care, or near death. Pray for those who are grieving. Pray for those who are in danger. Pray for Christ’s return and for faithfulness and endurance as Christians.

“There is no nobler prayer to be found upon earth than the Lord’s Prayer. We pray it daily, because it has this excellent testimony, that God loves to hear it. We ought not to surrender this for all the riches of the world.”  – Martin Luther’s Large Catechism

God bless you as you speak with Him in prayer this Lent and beyond.  

Peace in Christ,

            Pastor Kory Janneke