A Meditation on the Lord’s Prayer for Penitent Sinners

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Penitent: Lord, what am I that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (2 Sam. 9:8; Matt. 8:2)

JESUS: I will; be thou clean. (Matt. 8:3)

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Penitent: Lord, what is man, that he should be clean? … that he should be righteous? Thou son of David, have mercy on me. (Job 15:14; Matt. 10:27)
JESUS: According to your faith be it unto you. (Matt. 9:29)
Penitent: Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

Give us this day our daily bread.
Penitent: Lord, it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. (Matt. 15:26-27)
JESUS: Great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. (Matt. 15:28)
Penitent: Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. (Lk. 1:38)

And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Penitent: Lord, I am the man, who was angry with his brother without a cause. (2 Sam. 12:7; Matt. 5:22) Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. (Ps.51:16) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Ps. 51:17) I am the least of thy servants, that am not fit to be called a servant, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Cor. 15:9) If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? (Ps. 130:3) Who then can be saved? (Mk. 10:26)
JESUS: With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matt. 19:26)

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.
Penitent: Lord, shew me a sign of thy favor; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast helped me, and comforted me. (Ps. 86:17)
JESUS: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Is. 7:14) There shall no sign be given to you, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Penitent: I have confessed my sins. Thou art faithful and just to deliver me from my sin, and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (Ps. 32:5; 1 Jn. 1:9)
JESUS: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the gory, for ever and ever. Amen.
JESUS: “That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, Arise, take up thy burden, and go unto thine house.” (Matt. 9:6)
Penitent: O Good Shepherd, Thou hast left the ninety and nine in the wilderness, to go after me, who was lost. Thou hast laid the lost sheep on Thy shoulders, rejoicing. (Lk. 15:4-5)
JESUS: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Lk. 15:8)
Penitent: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. (Ps. 115:1)
JESUS: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (Jn. 3:16-17) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also. (Jn. 14:12) “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, your sins, which are many, are forgiven.” (Mk. 5:34; Lk. 7:47)
Penitent: But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. (Ps. 5:7)

Penitent (with Angels and Archangels and with all the Company of Heaven): Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing both now and forevermore. Amen and Amen!