The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 10

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water of Baptism is comprehended in the divine
command, and connected with the Word of God; for
this reason it is so efficacious. So our entire lives,
as it were, should be comprehended in the divine
command, and connected with the Word of our
Father in heaven. With Christians all things should
be “sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.”
Thus our lives will be indeed richly blessed. Hence
let us by no means neglect daily prayer, this neces-
sary act of worship so pleasing to God, wherein we
with our:hearts and lips bring our petitions before
Him, and offer up praise and thanks to Him. Those
who speak to God only with their lips find no grace
| in His sight; for vain repetitions are an abomina-
tion to the Lord (Matt.6,7). Piously the Psalmist
addresses God: “Let the words of my mouth and
the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy
sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer”
(Ps. 19,14). Lovely are the poet’s words: —
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;

The motion of a hidden fire,
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the pulse of spiritual life. One who be-
lievingly communes with God is spiritually alive.

God has commanded us to pray. This is not
only shown by those familiar words, “Ask, and it
shall be given you,” etc., but also by numerous other

. texts. I shall here quote only St. Paul’s words:

“J exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks be made for all men.” In

texts such as the two following we have the guaran-

tee that we shall not pray in vain: “It shall come to

pass that, before they call, I will answer, and while

* they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Is. 65, 24).
es, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon
Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will
fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He also
will hear their cry, and will save them” (Ps. 145,
18.19). We should pray for ourselves and our
neighbors, even our enemies which despitefully use
us and persecute us, but not for the dead (Heb.
9,27). It is also of prime importance that we
should direct our prayers only to the Triune God;
_ for it is written: “Thou shalt worship the Lord,
_ . thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Invok-
ing the Virgin Mary or other departed saints is
committing idolatry. Besides, they know nothing

(is. 63, 16). — We may ask God for everything for
hich a child of God may ask with a good con-

+ about our needs and cannot grant our petitions

10 . The Lutheran Pioneer.

less they be such spiritual gifts as we need for our
salvation, we should add the condition: “Lord, if
Thou wilt”; “Not my, but Thy will be done.” John
writes: “This is the confidence that we have in
Him, that, if we ask anything according to His
will, He heareth us.”

But in order that our petition might be accept-
able and heard, we should not approach God’s mercy-
seat trusting in our good works. We are worthy of
none of the things for which we pray, neither have
we deserved them. We should come in the name
of Christ, our merciful High Priest, relying solely
on His merits. God will grant our desires merely
by grace, for we daily sin much and deserve nothing
but punishment. See John 16, 28.— Another es-
sential point is that we call upon God with firm
confidence. Jesus reminds us that if we have faith
as a mustard-seed, we shall remove mouniains, and.
James warns us that he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed, and
adds: “Let not that man think that he shall re-
ceive anything of the Lord.” In temptation it may
seem to us as if God did not hear us at all. Then
we should: persevere in prayer, -and it will at
length become soothing, composing, and comforting.
Finally, when our doubt passes away, we shall
sweetly praise the Lord for His faithfulness. He
hears every proper prayer, but, of course, at His
time and in the manner in which He sees fit.

We may pray everywhere. On Sundays and
holidays we should assemble at our houses of wor-
ship, to which Jesus’ words concerning the temple
apply: “My. house is the house of prayer.” At
our churches God’s Word should be proclaimed,
the Sacraments administered, but also heartfelt,
earnest prayer offered by pastor and congregation.
The hymns we sing at church are the prayers of

-the congregation, which should proceed from all

hearts. “The Lord looketh on the heart.” The
same is true of the collects offered before the altar
in the name of the whole congregation. — Chris-

‘tians should also pray at their own houses. Daily

family-worship should be practised conscientiously.
Let the Word of Christ dwell richly among you.
When God smote Egypt with the plague of dark-

.ness, all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.

There is spiritual light in the home whose inmates
are united in prayer. It is a tabernacle of God
with men even here on earth. Its door is sprinkled
with the precious blood of Christ, the Paschal Lamb
without blemish and without spot. Those who live

therein are safe from the avenging angel. — Again,

~