In taking up President Harrison's invitation to join in praying the Litany each day of Lent, I noticed something that never registered before in the sweep of that great intercession: all.
Our deliverance from ALL sin, ALL error, ALL evil, from ALL calamity by fire and water....Help in ALL time of our tribulation, ALL time of our prosperity...Preserving ALL pastors and minister in the true knowledge of the Word and holy living...An end to ALL schisms and causes of offense...Bringing into the way of truth ALL who have erred and are deceived...Giving to ALL peoples peace and concord... For God's blessing on ALL our people... His help for ALL in danger, necessity, tribulation... Protection and guidance for ALL who travel... Increasing happiness to ALL women with child and mothers of young children... Defense for ALL orphans and widows... Strength for ALL sick persons and young children... Mercy for ALL...
This classic prayer teaches us to ask God-sized gifts indeed. Who but the living and blessed Trinity could answer ALL those prayers for ALL?
3 comments:
True - thanks for sharing, Pastor. This Lent we have been praying the Litany as the Prayer of the Church. It has been great. I pick up on something different each time I read/hear it.
Oh, come on... it couldn't possibly mean that we actually want mercy for all. What about the reprobate? God couldn't possibly want to give mercy to them.
(I actually read a book that said it was anti-Christian to say that God wants to have mercy on all. It's those sorts of heretics that spawn the Rob Bell sort of heretic.)
To paraphrase Blessed Martin Luther: Can LCMS Pastors also be saved?
Post a Comment