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Prayer of a Student of Theology Excerpt from Lutheran Prayer Companion © 2018 Matthew Carver, published by Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. My God, up till now I have studied wisdom, knowl- edge, arts, and languages. Give me grace further to pursue my intentions earnestly and zealously and to make good use of my time. Let me consider well what an account I will have to give for wasting the flower of my youth in idleness, drunkenness, gluttony, indecent dancing, gambling, and other sinful foolishness, and squandering my parents' sweat and blood and dashing the hopes of my fatherland. At the same time, let me also remember that it is not enough to use my natural gifts well, practice and master all fields of study, and know all that the world can teach me, if in doing so I still lack the chief thing, which is heav- enly wisdom, the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the art of faith, the law of love, the practice of godliness, and the knowledge of dying a blessed death. With worldly studies I may endear myself to the world, but without these spiritual arts, I cannot please You, my God. And what would I gain if in pleasing the world I were yet detestable in Your sight? Therefore I humbly beseech You in the name of Jesus Christ to enlighten my heart with Your heav- enly light of grace, to hallow and sanctify my diligence and labor, and, according to Your pleasure, to prepare me for Your holy ministry. Grant that I may cultivate a good conscience in all respects, both toward You, O God, and toward other men, that I may walk in Your godly fear; call frequently to mind my baptismal cov- enant; live in humility, meekness, chastity, and mod- eration; and keep myself unstained from the present ungodliness of the world. I am one of the Nazarites of Your Church, a dedicated servant of God separated for Your holy service. I am a young tree from which many simple souls hope someday to have many fruits of doctrine, comfort, and edification. Therefore, my God, give me a renewed, enlightened, godly heart, that I may cultivate a holy way of life. O God, my Father and Lord of all loving kindness, give me that wisdom which constantly surrounds Your throne, for I am a feeble man, and of a short time, and fall short of the under- standing of judgment and laws; for if one be perfect among the children of men, yet if Your wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded. Send her out of Your holy heavens and from the throne of Your glory; send her, that she may be with me and may labor with me, that I may know what is pleasing to You. And if it be Your divine will, my Father, some day to place me in a certain post, or if You will even grant that I may serve You in Your Church (my mind and thoughts being so directed by the inward urging of Your Holy Spirit), then make me perfectly equipped for that purpose. I know, O almighty God, that in Your most wise counsel You have already set the time, place, and occa- sion. Far be it from me, then, that I should dictate and prescribe these for You, let alone acquire them by the means which this present world adores and which are used by those whom You Yourself have called "runners" (Jer. 23:21), but which are not in accord with Your Holy Word, but contrary thereto, and for that reason not compare myself to the world nor imitate their thinking. Send me where You wish, only grant that it may serve for the glory of Your most holy name and the salvation of all who hear me. Let me then be full of power and spirit, full of right and might, full of living knowledge, full of faith, full of love, full of godly zeal, full of heavenly wisdom, full of piety, humility, meek- ness, chastity, moderation, and other virtues, that I may become and be a new creature in Christ, a truly enlightened, converted, and holy man, an example for the faithful in word and conduct, charity and patience, that I may hold the mystery of the faith in a pure con- science, and so in all things adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Amen.• Keep a collection of almost 500 Lutheran prayers and over 100 hymn texts that cover nearly any situation with Lutheran Prayer Companion. Find this title and others in this issue at cph.org. LUTHERAN PRAYER COMPANION Lutheran Life 7

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