Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use · George Mezger
LESSON 47.
How We Should Pray. Review Lesson. 1. When we pray we frequently use the prayer which the Lord has given us. It really does contain everything we need, everything we may pray for. But we also use other prayers; we bring our petitions before God in our own words, or offer praise and thanks to Him. This is well-pleasing to our Father in heaven. But we must not forget _that all our prayers should be in accordance with the Lord's Prayer._ He has given us His prayer also for this purpose, that we should learn from it _how to pray._ The Lord's Prayer should be _the model for all our prayers._ If that is our model, we are certain that we are praying according to God's will. Let us see what the Lord's Prayer teaches us in this respect. _Let us learn how we should pray._ 2. Whom do we address in the Lord's Prayer? Who is "our Father in heaven"? Our Father in heaven is _the only true, the Triune God, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost._ To Him we pray, and to Him alone. Such is His will. _"Thou shalt worship the Lord, thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."_ Matt. 4,10. Against which commandment do we sin when we pray to any one but the true God? We pray only to the true God because He alone is _able_ and _willing_ to hear and answer our prayer.
3. The Lord teaches us to call the Triune God _"our Father."_ Why does Christ teach us to use this dear name? Through whom is God our true Father and we His true children? In whose name should we pray? Our Savior says: _"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you."_ John 16,23. In the Fifth Petition we learn why it is so necessary to pray in Jesus' name, trusting in His merits. We daily sin much. We deserve nothing but punishment. We pray that God would not look upon our sins, but graciously answer our prayers for Christ's sake, who has earned forgiveness of sins for us. Only _in Christ_ is God well pleased with us; _only for His sake will our prayers be heard and answered._ 4. Christ teaches us to address God as our Father, to believe that in Christ He is indeed our true Father. By this endearing name our Lord would _encourage_ and _tenderly invite us_ to come to Him as His children and ask Him with all confidence. We should always pray with confidence, never doubting that God for Chris's sake _will hear us and grant our prayers. "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."_ Matt. 21,22. We are praying to the _almighty God,_ who is able to give all good things; we pray to Him who is our _Father,_ who has promised to hear our prayers.
5. For what do we pray in the first three petitions? For what in the Fourth Petition? We learn from this that we may pray for _everything that is needful for our welfare, both spiritual and temporal things. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."_ Mark 11,24. In how many petitions do we ask for the heavenly or spiritual things, which we need for our souls? In one petition the Lord teaches us to pray for our daily bread, for our wants here on earth. Whenever we pray, we should first of all pray for those gifts which we need for our salvation. _"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,"_ our Lord tells us. Matt. 6,33. Above all we should pray for the gift of God's pure Word, for the Holy Ghost, in order that by His grace we may believe His holy Word and lead a godly life, that His will may be done among us, and that we may remain faithful to our Lord and obtain eternal life. 6. The Fourth Petition follows the one in which our Lord teaches us to pray that God's good and gracious will may be done. When we are praying for our daily bread, asking God for the things we need for our body and our temporal welfare, _we should submit everything to God's will,_ that is, we should pray that God would grant us these gifts, _if it is His will, if they tend to His glory and to our welfare. "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us."_ 1 John 5,14.
7. Our Lord teaches us to say not _my,_ but _our_ Father; indeed, throughout the whole prayer we always include our neighbor in our petitions. He wants us to _pray for our neighbors,_ not only for our friends and relatives, but for _all men,_ even for our _enemies. "Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you."_ Matt. 5,44. 8. In the last three petitions the Lord tells us to bring our cares and troubles, our afflictions and sorrows of every kind, before the Lord. Indeed, we ought to pray _at all times. "Pray without ceasing."_ 1 Thess. 5,17. Especially, however, we should pray in times of _trouble and need. "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me."_ Ps. 50,15.
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