Sacred Meditations

Johann Gerhard has been leading us to find consolation at the death of loved ones and friends. To echo St. Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain. While death is truly our fiercest enemy, Jesus’ death and resurrection has made it a “port of safety.” Life in …

We have no power in ourselves to help ourselves before God. We pray that He would keep us in both body and soul that we may be defended from all adversities and evil thoughts. Third Sunday in Lent, from The Book of Common Prayer.

We continue our journey through the season of Lent, and we keep praying from this hymn by Ernst Christoph Homburg. Here we pray verse four as we address “Christ the Life of All the Living.” Source: Lutheran Service Book, 420, stanza 4.

Can nature show us anything about God’s will for our loved ones or friends when they die? Today Johann Gerhard—in his meditation “Consolation at the Death of Friends”—calls us to look to the types in nature to see God’s promise of resurrection of the body and life everlasting. This meditation, …

God’s glory is always to have mercy. Here we pray that He would be gracious to all of us who have gone astray from His ways and bring us again to embrace the truth of His Word with penitent hearts and steadfast faith. Second Sunday in Lent, from The Book …

We continue our journey through the season of Lent and we keep praying from this hymn by Ernst Christoph Homburg. Here we pray verse three as we address “Christ the Life of All the Living.” Source: Lutheran Service Book, 420, stanza 3.

In today’s meditation, Johann Gerhard continues giving us consolation at the death of loved ones and friends. Gerhard earlier spoke of our lost ones getting out of the stormy seas of this fallen world and into the safe harbor of eternal life with Jesus Christ. Today, Gerhard paints a beautiful …

Jesus, the Son of God, was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. We pray that our loving God, who knows our weaknesses, would come quickly to help us against the many temptations that we may find Him mighty to save. First Sunday in …

The hymn “Christ, the Life of All the Living,” by Ernst Christoph Homburg (1605-81), provides us with this excellent prayer for this season of Lent. Source: Lutheran Service Book, 420, stanzas 1-2.

On this Ash Wednesday, we confess that God hates nothing that He has made and He forgives penitent sinners. We pray that as we confess our sinfulness and wretchedness He would grant us His perfect remission and forgiveness. Ash Wednesday, from The Book of Common Prayer.