Prayers to aid in our worship of God, copied from the twently-second printing of an epitome of the Large Gebetsschatz titled: THE ABRIDGED TREASURY OF PRAYERS, published in 1944 by the St. Louis, Mo. Concordia Publishing House
MY LIFE MOTTO
* A beautiful apothegm by an unknown author:
In order to maintain and ever increase my faith, I shall always with joyful expectation and with peace in my soul, excitedly anticipate the blessings of God to flow unto me.
I thank Thee, Lord, my God, with my whole heart and honor Thy name continually. I shall render thanks unto Thee forever, for Thou hast done all things well. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness, but in love to my soul Thou hast delivered it from the pit of corruption. In my distress I called unto Thee, and Thou hast heard my voice, and my cry did enter into Thine ears, and Thou hast comforted me. Thou hast faithfully stood by me, graciously upheld my soul, and finally, as a father, delivered me out of my great tribulations. O my Lord and my God, how shall I requite Thee for all the benefits Thou daily bestowest upon me? I will praise Thy name as long as I live; I will extol Thee in the presence of all Thy people, Thy glory shall continually be in my mouth. O Thou faithful God, help me by Thy Spirit to pay my vows and never to forget what Thou hast done for my soul, so that I may not only publish Thy praise while in this mortal frame, but also sing everlasting hallelujahs to Thy praise with the elect in heaven. Amen.
O gracious God, heavenly Father, I render thanks to Thee from my inmost heart that Thou hast granted me a safe jouirney and by the protection of Thy dear angels hast brought me back to my family, which has made our hearts glad. It is due to Thy fatherly care that I have been preserved from all harm, that I have not been killed by robbers or wild animals nor have perished or suffered injury in floods or other dangers. Protected by Thy holy angels, I have traveled in safety and good health to my journey's end and back again. For all this I owe thanks to Thy fatherly care and almighty protection, and I heartily pray Thee that Thou wouldst also in future graciously extend to me and my family Thine almighty protection and sustain body and soul by Thy power unto life eternal; for Christ Jesus' sake. Amen.
O almighty God and Father, ever ready to help, Thou seest and knowest that we live in great distress and danger, knowing of neither counsel nor help and finding in us no power or ability of escaping this great trouble. So our eyes are turned to Thee, our only Comfort, Refuge, and Helper, who hast said, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." Our heart submits to Thy word of promise and now seeks Thy face in childlike humility and confidence. O Lord, hide not Thy gracious face from us and cast not Thy children from Thee in wrath; do not forsake us nor withdraw Thy hand from us, God, our Salvation, who workest salvation to the ends of the earth. Therefore let us experience Thy help, and be Thou gracious unto us. In Thee, O Lord, our soul trusts, and under the shadow of Thy wings we find refuge until these dangers have passed by. Turn Thou again to us and satisfy us early with Thy mercy; then shall we offer the sacrifice of praise and bless Thy name, for it is good. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast aflected us and the years wherein we have seen evil. Stand Thou by us in trouble; then shall we praise Thee and rejoice over Thy help all the days of our life. Amen.
