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Prayer

September 21, 2017 - 1 minute read


Praying over a bible

“A Christian without prayer is just as impossible as a living person without a pulse. The pulse is never motionless; it moves and beats constantly, whether one is asleep or something else keeps one from being aware of it” (Luther’s Works, American Edition 24:89.)

Martin Luther valued prayer. Once he wrote a short book for his barber, Peter Beskendorf, called “A Simple Way to Pray” (AE 43:193-211). In it, Luther described a pattern of devotions for his friend, noting that it was his own practice. He prayed the Lord’s Prayer, considering how each petition addressed his situation that day. Elsewhere, he demonstrated the same idea with prayers based on the Ten Commandments and the Creed. In these reflections, he looked to each teaching for instruction, thanksgiving, confession, and petition.

Luther’s teachings on prayer include his explanation to the Lord’s Prayer in both the Small and Large Catechism. One can easily see that Luther is teaching how to pray and not just about prayer. The same applied teaching can be seen as he paraphrases the Lord’s Prayer into his hymn, “Our Father, Who from Heaven Above” (Lutheran Service Book 766).

Luther’s faith is seen in his prayers, as is his pastoral love and concern for others.

Luther gave further examples of prayer in the Small Catechism with morning and evening prayers, and prayers for before and after meals. (See the musical resources section for new hymn paraphrases of the morning and evening prayer.)

Luther’s faith is seen in his prayers, as is his pastoral love and concern for others. He wanted all Christians to pray gladly and frequently, since “God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father (Small Catechism, Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer).

Always Reforming

Reflections on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

by Steven P. Mueller

The brief essays in this volume explore various aspects of Reformation theology and its implications. They were written by faculty of Concordia University Irvine in commemoration of the Reformation's 500th anniversary.

Available on Amazon
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