The Doxology

This is the final post in the series, Meditations on the Lord’s Prayer. You can find the whole series here.

“We can be sure that these petitions are acceptable 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. Therefore we say, ‘Amen. Yes, it shall be so.’ ” (Luther’s Catechism, Northwestern Publishing House: Milwaukee, 2017, p. 292)

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

A doxology—as these final words of the Lord’s Prayer are called—is an expression of praise to God.

It’s also an expression of faith.

Just as the Lord’s Prayer begins with a recognition of the One to whom we pray—our loving Father in heaven who promises to hear us when we pray—the ending reminds us of why we’re confident that not only God is willing and able, but also he answers our prayers.

The kingdom, the power, and the glory are his now and forever.

What does it mean that God answers our prayers?

I’ve prayed a lot of prayers throughout the years that sure seem like they’ve gone unanswered. Am I doing it wrong? Jesus says in the Bible that I can ask him for anything in his name, and he will do it (John 14:14). Is that it, then? Do I just have to ask something in Jesus’ name, and God will give it to me?

Dear Christian, you probably know from your own experiences—as well as I know from my own—that prayer doesn’t work like that.

Jesus also said that God answers our requests in a way that is in line with his will for us and his kingdom and in a way that brings glory to him (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14).

And yet, even when I pray in Jesus’ name that God would help me overcome a particular sin or that a loved one struggling with some sickness be healed and those requests don’t come to pass in the way I want, I know that God has still answered them. Perhaps not in the way that I think he should, but absolutely in the way that is in line with his will for the spiritual good of his children and in the way that will bring him glory.

How? I don’t always have an answer to that, but I know my God. He tells me who he is in his Word.

Think of how God comforted the apostle Paul as he struggled with a thorn in his flesh that he asked God three times to take away. God didn’t. Did Paul not pray correctly? Of course not. But God reminded him that he answers prayer in more ways than just yes.

“My grace is sufficient for you, . . . my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God reminds us of that too.

I remember a pastor telling me once that God’s answers to our prayers generally fall into three categories—yes, no, and not yet—because God knows what is best for us. What a comforting way of looking at the answers to the requests we bring before our loving God and Father!

As an aside, how do we tell the difference between a no and a not yet answer? That can be difficult.

For me, I think it pays to focus on who God is and what he has revealed about himself in his Word. Is my request a God-pleasing one that will glorify him? If so, I’ll keep praying boldly until it becomes definitively clear that God has other plans—better plans than mine. (He always does!)

Regardless, we keep praying, and we pray boldly—confidently. And we can be sure that God will answer our prayers—not because we’ve earned or deserved it, but for Jesus’ sake, according to his will and for his glory.

Finally, dear Christian, there’s comfort in closing our prayers with “Amen.” It’s a word that means “Yes, it shall be so.” If we wanted, we could close each of the seven petitions we pray in the Lord’s Prayer with a resounding amen. We can do so with every prayer and request we bring before our God.

Why? Because we’re praying to our almighty God and heavenly Father.

The kingdom, the power, and glory are yours now and forever.

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