Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Luther's Sacristy Prayer

In honor of today's commemoration of Martin Luther, Renewer of the Church, 1483-1546


Luther’s Sacristy Prayer

Lord God, You have appointed me as a pastor in Your Church, but you see how unsuited I am to meet so great and difficult a task. If I had lacked Your help, I would have ruined everything long
ago. Therefore, I call upon You: I wish to devote my mouth and my heart to you; I shall teach the people. I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon You Word. Use me as Your instrument -- but do not forsake me, for if ever I should be on my own, I would easily wreck it all.
This text was translated in 1999 for Project Wittenberg
by James Kellerman

5 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this prayer. Before I begin the task of writing my sermon each week I pray a version of this prayer by praying, "...I am not a good preacher, speaker or writer; and if this were left up to me I would surely bring it all to ruin...".

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to have this posted in the sacristy at my other churches. I keep meaning to put it up here, maybe I'll get to it this week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is beautiful. I had not previously seen that. Peace.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is beautiful! I'll be tacking that up in my office on Sunday morning.

    Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am, among other things, a retired Army Chaplain, & have made Brother Martin's Sacristy Prayer part of my "morning ritual" along with a stiff cup of coffee...because I know how fine a line we tred between being a "little Christ" to our sisters & brothers & "wrecking it all!"
    Pastor Richard L Eilers Holley NY

    ReplyDelete