“Pray Then Like This…”

By Katie Hill

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Sometimes we think about prayer like that, particularly when we hear someone pray aloud and marvel at how wellcrafted their prayer sounds. Perhaps we even struggle at times in the quiet of our bedroom to put the words together that adequately communicate to God what we’re thinking. Let’s face it…there are definitely times when it’s difficult to know what or how to pray.

Thankfully, while we have the amazing freedom in Christ to come before our Father and pray with words of our own choosing, there are many wonderfully written prayers we can draw from to give us direction. From the very words of Scripture, to believers throughout the ages, to our pastors, we are blessed with numerous sources of prayers. Such prayers are gifts from God to help us as we pray.

As a convert to Lutheranism I have rediscovered the tremendous value of at-the-ready prayers. For a time, in an effort to shed my Roman Catholic upbringing, I had disdain for such prayers—thinking that they were mechanical and not truly heartfelt. I assumed the only real prayers were ones that I came up with on my own. How wrong I was!

I even thought the recitation of pre-written prayers was exactly what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 6 when He said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (v.7). But, is a written prayer that you might utilize (perhaps repeatedly) what Jesus is talking about here? Not at all! If anything, a prepared prayer is deliberately thoughtful—far from what can be described as empty. Back when Jesus was teaching this, it was a common pagan belief that one’s words—in and of themselves when said exactly in the right manner—could accomplish things. We know that prayer is not magical and that it is an act of worship wherein we recognize that God’s will WILL be done and we humbly lay our requests before Him. It is meaningful communication. Jesus follows up His teaching in verse 9 by giving us the Lord’s Prayer—“Pray then like this”—which are words He deliberately gifted to us, which we can pray, commit to memory, and utter countless times.

So is a prayer that you put together off the cuff more genuine than a prayer authored by someone else? Not necessarily. If you are earnestly praying, it doesn’t matter if you are crafting a prayer as you go or if you are praying and reading through an ancient prayer that was lifted up to God by Christians hundreds of years ago. A “Thank you, Jesus!” uttered during a moment of gratitude is genuine. A read through a Psalm reflectively is genuine. God hears you, regardless, not because of your word choice, or even because your mindset or heart is on point— because let’s face it, that’s not always happening. God hears you for the sake of Christ.

Our Divine Service liturgy, along with all our other Daily Offices (Matins, Vespers, Evening Prayer, etc.), is packed with prayers that come from David, Moses, Mary, Simeon, and many others from the Scriptures. Some of them are probably locked into your brain by now. That’s beneficial because in those moments when you are reaching for something to say, you can cry out with words that are ready for recall.

There are some great Lutheran resources you can get your hands on, whether they are books or in a digital format. Your Lutheran Service Book has all the prayers that show up in the various settings for Divine Services, other worship times and a myriad of other prayers. The Treasury of Daily Prayer provides a convenient daily reading schedule that includes prayers, Psalms, readings and hymnody. There is, however, a handy, inexpensive little book, The Lutheran Book of Prayer, that is a great resource of prayers for many situations in which you may find yourself. This little book features prayers about everything from job loss to anxiety, from holidays to wedding days. There are prayers to start your day and prayers to end your day.

The importance of having prayers like this to draw from has never been more evident to me than now. You see, for about a four-year period of time, my daughter, a Higher Things conference attendee, spurned her Baptism. It was devastating to watch the child I had seen revel in the Gospel she heard preached at church and promoted by Higher Things, turn her back on her faith.

Thanks be to God that just a few short months ago, the Holy Spirit quickened my daughter’s heart and she embraced her Baptism. And one of the first things she asked me was if I had her Bible and her Lutheran Book of Prayer. I have asked her to share her thoughts:

“I found the Lutheran Book of Prayer for the first time on my mom’s nightstand one evening back when I was a freshman in college. I opened it and realized that it was truly a book full of different prayers for all sorts of occasions. I thought it was incredibly helpful, since I wasn’t very comfortable at coming up with good things to say when put on the spot. I would always seize up when asked to pray at the dinner table. I think about it like this: using the Book of Prayer is almost like selecting a Hallmark card for someone you love and care about—sometimes such cards express perfectly what you want to say. Prayers in the Lutheran Book of Prayer also communicate everything I want to pray without the need for me to write them myself or come up with my own words on the spot. It’s anxiety-free prayer-on-the-go for every moment of praise, gratitude, and time of need.

As a prodigal daughter, I feel the need to have the Book of Prayer with me again, as I remembered how much it helped me talk to God. If I was jittery at the thought of coming up with my own prayers when I was in college, believe me when I say that now I struggle to even feel worthy enough to talk to God. These prayers remind me that I can freely talk with my Father even though I feel lacking. They remind me that I have a crucified and risen Savior who cares for me and makes me worthy.”

As Lutherans, we have such a wealth of materials to help us when we pray. I can’t encourage you enough to take advantage of any of the books I have mentioned, among many others. Not only will they provide direction and focus as you express your prayers, they will remind you of the Good News that you are a child of a King, who abundantly blesses you with forgiveness of sins through His gifts of Word and Sacrament.

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Katie Hill is the editor of Higher Things Magazine. She can be reached at katie.hill@higherthings.org.