This prayer is one we have used before. It is a classic prayer that is shaped by the Lord’s Prayer, and offers responses based on the Heidelberg Catechism.

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Help us to really know you,

to bless, worship, and praise you

for all your works

and for all that shines forth from them:

your almighty power, wisdom, kindness,

justice, mercy, and truth.

Help us to direct all our living—

what we think, say, and do—

so that your name will never be taken for granted because of us

but always honored and praised.

Your kingdom come.

Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way

that more and more we follow you.

Keep your church strong, and add to it.

Destroy the work of evil;

destroy every force that revolts against you

and every attempt to work against your Word.

Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect

that in it you are all in all.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Help us and all people

to reject our own wills

and to obey your will without any back talk.

Your will alone is perfect.

Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to,

as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Do take care of all our physical needs

so that we come to know

that you are the only source of everything good,

and that neither our work and worry

nor our gifts

can do us any good without your blessing.

And so help us to give up our trust in creatures

and to put trust in you alone.

Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Because of Christ’s blood,

do not hold against us, poor sinners that we are,

any of the sins we do

or the evil that constantly clings to us.

Forgive us, just as we are fully determined,

as evidence of your grace in us,

to forgive our neighbors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

By ourselves we are too weak

to hold our own even for a moment.

And our sworn enemies—

Anger, greed, resentment, anxiety, 

and the host of other forces that drive a wedge 

between us and you, us and our neighbor -

never stop attacking us.

And so, Lord,

uphold us and make us strong

with the strength of your Holy Spirit,

so that we may not go down to defeat

in this spiritual struggle,

but may firmly resist our lesser desires

until we finally rest in you.

For yours is the kingdom and the power

and the glory forever.

We have made all these requests of you

because, as our all-powerful King,

you not only want to,

but are able to give us all that is good;

and because your holy name,

and not we ourselves,

should receive all the praise, forever.

It is even more sure that you listen to our prayer,

than that we really desire what we pray for. 

You are invited to silently lift the names of particular people or situations that weigh heavily on your soul at this time. 

We seal these prayers with the one he taught us, saying together:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and power and the glory, Amen.