Today’s Reading: Small Catechism: Lord’s Prayer, Conclusion

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:48-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24 

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. What does this mean? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen, means, “yes, yes, it shall be so.” (Small Catechism: Lord’s Prayer, Conclusion) 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Church has a way that She prays. The Prayer of the Church in the Divine Service ends each petition with, “Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer” or “In peace, let us pray to the Lord; Lord have mercy.” We find a similar addition to the psalms or Introit with the Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit), to give glory and praise to the One to whom we have just prayed. 

And so we also have a Church ending, or better, a liturgical ending to the Lord’s Prayer, which is not found in most translations of the Bible. It is part of the language of the Church in prayer. This ending is threefold, a doxology, reminding us that as we pray to our Father who art in heaven, we are also praying to the Son and Holy Spirit, the Triune God. To this Triune God alone belongs the eternal kingdom opened to us by the death of Christ, the power which saves us now and eternally, and the glory and praise which we sing in the Church on earth and will sing with the Church in eternity. 

To all of our prayers we add, “Amen.” This is an affirmation by Christians that all for which we have prayed, in the Lord’s Prayer, in our liturgical prayers, and in our individual daily prayers, has been heard by our God and He is answering those prayers with His, “Yes!” As Paul assures us by inspiration, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31) The death of Jesus for you and your salvation is the assurance, the pledge and promise, that God will answer every one of your prayers with His “Amen,” according to His gracious will. Thus we boldly and confidently pray, “Amen,” knowing that God has heard and answered our prayers and caused His will to be done in all things, even our salvation. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

We trust, O Lord, in Your great mercy to hear and answer us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Study Christ’s words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.