Thursday after Trinity XII - Devotion in semi-Exile
Lection for Thursday after Trinity XII
1 Kings 19:1-21 Ephesians 3:1-21
On more than one occasion I have had people tell me, (or something like this) "Pastor, I really do not know how to pray. I know the Lord's Prayer, I know 'Come, Lord Jesus...' and I know 'Now I lay me down sleep...' but other than those, I truly don't know how to pray."
I have found that the more familiar I am with the Scripture, the easier it is to pray - especially as I know the Psalms. I am too thick in the head to try and make up prayers. Rev. Martin Luther, way back in the 1500s had people coming to him asking him how to pray.
My suggestion is to open up your Bible every day and read it. When you have read, pray! Pray what Scripture has taught you.
Dr. Luther wrote something also very wonderful about prayer to Peter the barber. I am going to post what he wrote, "A Simple Way to Pray." But as it is rather long, it will be in the space over the span of a few days.
Today, Dr. Luther continues his letter to Peter the Barber about prayer, and does so by considering and contemplating the 2nd & 3rd Articles of the Creed..
A Simple Way to Pray - Part 9
The Second Article of Redemption
"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord," etc.
Again a great light shines forth and teaches us how Christ, God's Son, has redeemed us from death which, after the creation, had become our lot through Adam's fall and in which we would have perished eternally. Now think: just as in the first article you were to consider yourself one of God's creatures and not doubt it, now you must think of yourself as one of the redeemed and never doubt that. Emphasize one word above all others, for instance, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Likewise, suffered for us, died for us, arose for us. All this is ours and pertains to us; that us includes yourself, as the word of God declares.Second, you must be sincerely grateful for such grace and rejoice in your salvation.Third, you must sorrowfully lament and confess your wicked unbelief and mistrust of such a gift. Oh, what thoughts will come to mind-the idolatry you have practiced repeatedly, how much you have made of praying to the saints and of innumerable good works of yours which have opposed such salvation.Fourth, pray now that God will preserve you from this time forward to the end in true and pure faith in Christ our Lord.
The Third Article of Sanctification"I believe in the Holy Spirit," etc.
This is the third great light which teaches us where such a Creator and Redeemer may be found and plainly encountered in this world, and what this will all come to in the end. Much could be said about this, but here is a summary: Where the holy Christian church exists, there we can find God the Creator, God the Redeemer, God the Holy Spirit, that is, him who daily sanctifies us through the forgiveness of sins, etc. The church exists where the word of God concerning such faith is rightly preached and confessed.
1 Kings 19:1-21 Ephesians 3:1-21
On more than one occasion I have had people tell me, (or something like this) "Pastor, I really do not know how to pray. I know the Lord's Prayer, I know 'Come, Lord Jesus...' and I know 'Now I lay me down sleep...' but other than those, I truly don't know how to pray."
I have found that the more familiar I am with the Scripture, the easier it is to pray - especially as I know the Psalms. I am too thick in the head to try and make up prayers. Rev. Martin Luther, way back in the 1500s had people coming to him asking him how to pray.
My suggestion is to open up your Bible every day and read it. When you have read, pray! Pray what Scripture has taught you.
Dr. Luther wrote something also very wonderful about prayer to Peter the barber. I am going to post what he wrote, "A Simple Way to Pray." But as it is rather long, it will be in the space over the span of a few days.
Today, Dr. Luther continues his letter to Peter the Barber about prayer, and does so by considering and contemplating the 2nd & 3rd Articles of the Creed..
A Simple Way to Pray - Part 9
The Second Article of Redemption
"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord," etc.
Again a great light shines forth and teaches us how Christ, God's Son, has redeemed us from death which, after the creation, had become our lot through Adam's fall and in which we would have perished eternally. Now think: just as in the first article you were to consider yourself one of God's creatures and not doubt it, now you must think of yourself as one of the redeemed and never doubt that. Emphasize one word above all others, for instance, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Likewise, suffered for us, died for us, arose for us. All this is ours and pertains to us; that us includes yourself, as the word of God declares.Second, you must be sincerely grateful for such grace and rejoice in your salvation.Third, you must sorrowfully lament and confess your wicked unbelief and mistrust of such a gift. Oh, what thoughts will come to mind-the idolatry you have practiced repeatedly, how much you have made of praying to the saints and of innumerable good works of yours which have opposed such salvation.Fourth, pray now that God will preserve you from this time forward to the end in true and pure faith in Christ our Lord.
The Third Article of Sanctification"I believe in the Holy Spirit," etc.
This is the third great light which teaches us where such a Creator and Redeemer may be found and plainly encountered in this world, and what this will all come to in the end. Much could be said about this, but here is a summary: Where the holy Christian church exists, there we can find God the Creator, God the Redeemer, God the Holy Spirit, that is, him who daily sanctifies us through the forgiveness of sins, etc. The church exists where the word of God concerning such faith is rightly preached and confessed.
Again you have occasion here to ponder long about everything that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the church every day, etc. Therefore be thankful that you have been called and have come into such a church. Confess and lament your lack of faith and gratitude, that you have neglected all this, and pray for a true and steadfast faith that will remain and endure until you come to that place where all endures forever, that is, beyond the resurrection from the dead, in life eternal. Amen.
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