It is Friday…
So, you might have guessed, I have been thinking a lot about prayer lately. It is a good work that gets neglected more than many other things…
Luther even called the Lord’s Prayer the first martyr!
First let’s think about how we pray…
Many may think a better prayer is always one that is wrenched from our inner being, another one from our guts in agony as we plead for someone in trouble or near death or suffering a great deal.
Are these type prayers better than say… oh, I don’t know… say, our thanksgiving collect (collect means what we do collectively—together to pray)?
You remember the one right after receiving the Body and Blood of our Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus?
It is this one:
O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in loving kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever.
And the congregations adds their (your):
Amen.
So, which is a better prayer? Most would say the “gut wrenching” kind, right? Why?
Is it more authentic? More real? More personal? “More you than ever…” (what a sinful and devilish commercial!)?
But…God will have to listen then… because I was…
What?
That is where we are wrong.
Faith is what counts, not feeling. Too often we mix that up—we call feeling faith, and the lack of feeling (our judgment) means a lack of faith. Feelings are not to be trusted.
And that is why formal written prayers can be of so much more use to us. They cut out the middleman, sort of speak–our devious and fickle innards.
Don’t believe me? Read what God’s prophet Jeremiah has to say about our inner compass! Ever wonder why the world and all its media channels feed “trust your heart” nonsense all the time? It’s a good lie of the devil that just never grows old for us.
So… don’t.
Now that does not mean when we suffer—personally or from seeing a loved one (one of our children!) suffering… when we can barely lift our heads… can’t think straight about much… lack sensible words…
… are barely breathing because of how we are so distraught…
That our noises and tears and hands clenching and unclenching… that all this is not good praying to God. Then we cannot help it.
Yes, God listens.
But formal prayers read for you, or by you… when you can just manage to see past your tears are very helpful too. If you don’t know this, you have not seen the many good resources of excellent prayers written for many of life’s situations. I have used many of them. I have found great comfort in them.
Because they don’t have ME in the way… for a change!
Anyway… the point is, you get no points for just rattling off a prayer anymore than trying to manipulate God by some sort of act or performance.
Appropriate words and emotions apply to the situation. But if you pray, pay attention. Reflect on the words offered. Mean them. Be earnest.
Or don’t pray.
But we are commanded to—even for our enemies. Ha! What a back-handed way to get back at them! Make them your best friend. Ask God to bless them. Be good to them.
They won’t know what to do. Hey, I wonder how many people get their hearts changed in this way? What a hoot! This is God’s way.
This is more about what to pray for. And basically, you could say a prayer for everything. And yet… get this! A lot of the time it’s too late—God has already given us so much…
Like our daily bread…
His Will has already been done…
He already has forgiven our sins…
So, Give Thanks! That is prayer too. Pray, Praise, and Give Thanks. All called prayer, really.
The point is—be involved…in it! Practice as if God is actually there. He is anyway, whether we acknowledge Him or not.
Luther said we are born with our backs to God. But then… the Holy Spirit comes and turns us around in repentance and with the gift of faith by the Law and the Gospel.
So then live as if you are constantly before Him… face-to-face… at His throne of Grace… the foot of the Cross where He made it possible for us to dare to approach and ask of Him…
So do so. Ask and it will be given…
Even today…
Even when it is just Friday….
…because Sunday is only 2 days away…
Where we will once again be answered and instructed on how to pray, and actually do so according to His Word…
This coming Sunday – Septuagesima Sunday – February 1st – 2026
Old Testament – Jeremiah 1:4-10
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5
Gospel – Matthew 20:1-16
Psalm – 95
Sermon – IS GOD FAIR?
Based on The Gospel Reading
Prayers: For a lasting peace in our world and in our cities—especially Minneapolis! That a lasting one would remain between the people of Israel and Gaza as well as for the people of Russia and the Ukraine. That the people of Iran would be free from tyranny and that the evil there would be put down. For our congregation that it would please our Lord that we would increase in numbers and there remain in this place a congregation that calls upon Him rightly, practicing the faith according to the Scriptures. For those who are being persecuted and murdered because they call upon the name of Jesus—especially in Africa. For the end of violence in our cities and that our schools and congregations would be protected from those who wish them harm. For our families that parents would courageously discipline their children and raise them in the fear of the Lord, teaching them about salvation in Jesus alone.
More Reflections on Prayer from Luther:
No one can believe how powerful prayer is and what it can effect, except those who have learned it by experience. Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have been heard and have obtained more than I prayed for. God sometimes delays, but He always comes.
God wants us to pray, and he wants to hear our prayers-not because we are worthy, but because he is merciful.
We cannot attain to the understanding of Scripture either by study or by the intellect. Your first duty is to begin by prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of His great mercy, the true understanding of His Word. There is no other interpreter of the Word of God than the Author of this Word, as He Himself has said, “They shall be all taught of God” (John 6:45). Hope for nothing from your own labors, from your own understanding: trust solely in God, and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has experience.