Quoting from Prof. John Pless's article Prayer: The Voice of Faith:
Prayer does not begin in the human heart but in the hearing of God's gracious words of life and salvation spoken to us in the Gospel of His Son. Thus Luther explains the introductory words of the Our Father saying "With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father." Just as faith comes by the hearing of Christ's words so prayer is created and sustained by the Word of the Lord.
1 comment:
Good insight. This is perhaps why Luther's meal prayers begin with reciting Scripture and then comes the before/after meal prayer. God's Word invites and brings forth a response. "O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise."
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