Pastor's Page…

Pastor Kenneth Lahners

At our latest council meeting, one of our newly elected members reminded us of the necessity of prayer.  Too often we think, “All we can do is pray,” when that is the most important thing we can do.  Wise words.  It is very easy to treat prayer as if it were an action of last resort, when all our other efforts have failed.  In truth it should be our first and continual line of action, where we live out faith in God, speaking thanks and needs to him, trusting that he will answer according to his will.  We are commanded to pray and are assured that God will answer.  “Ask and it shall be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). In Martin Luther’s description, prayer is like the pulse or heartbeat of the Christian.  In reality, prayer is God working in us.  “We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). 

St. Paul also urges us to “Pray without ceasing.”  This can be understood to be a continual spirit of prayer, at all times looking to God to answer, even without speaking words—like that pulse of which Luther spoke.  It could also refer to regular times of prayer.  Prayer, like anything else, takes practice.  It must be performed.  Only when we take the effort to actually address God is the continual spirit of prayer formed in us.

The Jewish practice was to have regular times of prayer during the day.  This practice was taken up by the Christian church as well.  I urge you all to set aside at least some time each day for prayer.  Ideal times for prayer are after rising in the morning, before bed, and at meals.  Do this individually, with your family, with church members or other Christians.  When you have meetings or other gatherings, set aside time to pray together. 

I am a member of the Society of the Holy Trinity, a Lutheran ministerium that exists to help its members fulfill their ordination vows.  Our retreats are structured around the ancient office of daily prayer.  We are encouraged to follow this liturgy of prayer (which incorporates psalms, hymns, and Scripture) in our personal lives and to offer it to our parishes.  Mondays through Thursdays at 9:00 I will be praying matins (morning prayer) in the nave of the church.  I know that many of you will not be able to be there, but I invite anyone who can to join me in prayer for 20 or 30 minutes.

There is much to pray for.  Let us all set aside time each day to pray, on our own and together.  As we do, we will find that the Holy Spirit is working within us to create a spirit of prayer, so that we can indeed “pray without ceasing.”      

~Pastor Kenneth