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The Lord’s Prayer for 2022

‘Our Father in heaven,

What an unimaginable privilege it is to be able to call you, the Almighty God as my Abba, Father! Indeed, you have been a most loving and caring Father to me. As I reflect on my life in 2021, the many times when I was wayward and unfaithful, your longsuffering and faithfulness were steadfast. You were with me through the good times and the rough. Your mercies were renewed to me every morning. Great is your faithfulness!

hallowed be your name,

How I wish that your holy name be known and exalted by all you have created. It pains me that societies are more and more refusing to acknowledge their God and Creator. I pray that your Spirit will awaken souls, to enable them to see that it is in you that we have our being. I pray that in 2022, the life I live before you will bring honour to your name.

your kingdom come,

When I see all the horrible atrocities, injustice and cruelty around the world, how I wish that your kingdom has fully arrived. I long to live under the just, righteous and holy kingship of the Lord Jesus, under which all evil will be extinguished.

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

In the meantime, may 2022 see a return of the nations to you. Rulers and authorities are in your hand. Lord, submit them to your will, so that hope can be restored to human kind. You have also charged me to be salt and light to the world around me. Lord, use me to be a humble instrument to bring about the fulfilment of your will, on earth as it is in heaven.  

Give us today our daily bread.

In all the time past, you have provided my every need. However, you know my weakness of faith. I do frequently take my eyes off you and try to find security in accumulated physical resources. In 2022, teach me to trust you more, that I should ask no more than the basic need and strength for each day, and delight in the freedom of trusting in you alone.  

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

I am painfully aware that there are sins that I wallow in repeatedly, even after I have pleaded for your forgiveness. I am so glad that you are such a merciful Father. This prayer I can only pray with fear and trembling, because it is a struggle for me to forgive others. I sometimes allow hurtful feelings to overwhelm me, escalating my ill will towards people who hurt me. If you were to treat me similarly, I would not stand for a minute. I can only pray in faith that you will prompt me and grant me the strength to forgive others as you so graciously forgive me.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord, the evil one is like a roaming lion, seeking to devour and attack your people. Lord, I know that I am very vulnerable to such attacks and temptations. Lord, bind the evil one and protect me from such attacks. Lead me every moment by your Spirit that I would know to flee from temptation, lest I should fall and my sweet communion with you be disrupted.

For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.

Help me to live each day in 2022 with the assurance that Christ has won total victory over sin, death and evil. Christ, my Lord, has been given the kingdom, all power and glory. Lift my eyes to see this clearly, so that each day you give me to live in 2022, I live with hope, purpose and joy in Christ.

Amen

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