Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name
your kingdom come
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial; or, And lead us not into temptation
and deliver us from evil.

Amen.

What does this mean?

[Robert E. Smith translation, 1994] That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that God has indeed commanded us to pray in this way and that God promises to answer us. Amen. Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way.

How often do you read anything about “Amen”? Kind of interesting that Luther felt it important to make sure we understood something of the “end” of the prayer. Amen, as he says, simply means, yes, yes, it will happen… Talk about confidence in praying!

What is the purpose of praying if we do not have confidence in God? Or do not seek to have confidence in God? If we cannot trust God, whom can we trust? If we do not believe that God in heaven loves us and listens to us, then we are very much alone on this spinning planet. And very lost. I do not trust the powers of reason to see us through. I do not trust technology to see us through. I trust only God. That is basis from which one who sincerely and with true spiritual consciousness prays the Lord’s Prayer, or any prayer, even this one:

Prayer

Lord, we trust you and believe in you. Help us in our unbelief. Bring the light of your love into the shadowlands of our lives, so that our faith might expand to include more and more reality. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Yes, yes, it will happen! (Amen)

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