Der dritte Teil: Von der Dankbarkeit — 45. Sonntag
The Necessity of Prayer
Prayer is established as the primary expression of Christian gratitude and the means by which we receive God's grace.
Why is prayer necessary for Christians? Because it is the most important expression of gratitude that God requires from us, and because God wants to give His grace and the Holy Spirit only to those who sincerely and continually ask Him for it and thank Him for it.
The Manner of True Prayer
True prayer requires sincerity, humility, and a firm reliance on God's promise to hear us through Christ.
What must be included in a prayer for it to please God and be heard by Him? First, we must pray from the heart to the one true God, who has revealed Himself to us in His Word, asking for everything He has commanded us to pray for. Second, we must fully recognize our need and misery so that we can humble ourselves before His divine presence. Third, we must stand on this firm foundation: that He will certainly hear our prayer for the sake of our Lord Christ, despite our unworthiness, just as He has promised us in His Word.
The Content of Prayer
We are instructed to ask for all spiritual and physical needs as modeled by Christ.
What has God commanded us to ask of Him? Everything we need for our spiritual and physical life, as the Lord Christ has summarized in the prayer He teaches us.
The Lord's Prayer
The chapter concludes with the full text of the prayer taught by Jesus.
What is this prayer? Our Father in heaven! Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And don't lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Warum ist den Christen das Gebet nötig? Weil es die wichtigste Gestalt der Dankbarkeit ist, die Gott von uns fordert, und weil Gott seine Gnade und seinen Heiligen Geist nur denen geben will, die ihn herzlich und unaufhörlich darum bitten und ihm dafür danken.
Was gehört zu einem Gebet, damit es Gott gefällt und von ihm erhört wird? Erstens, dass wir allein den wahren Gott, der sich uns in seinem Wort geoffenbart hat, von Herzen anrufen um alles, was er uns zu bitten befohlen hat. Zweitens, dass wir unsere Not und unser Elend gründlich erkennen, um uns vor seinem göttlichen Angesicht zu demütigen. Drittens, dass wir diesen festen Grund haben, dass er unser Gebet trotz unserer Unwürdigkeit um des Herrn Christus willen gewiss erhören will, wie er uns in seinem Wort verheißen hat.
Was hat uns Gott befohlen, von ihm zu erbitten? Alles, was wir für unser geistliches und leibliches Leben nötig haben, wie es der Herr Christus in dem Gebet zusammengefasst hat, das er uns selber lehrt.
Wie lautet dieses Gebet? Unser Vater im Himmel! Geheiligt werde dein Name. Dein Reich komme. Dein Wille geschehe wie im Himmel so auf Erden. Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute. Und vergib uns unsere Schuld, wie auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern. Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung, sondern erlöse uns von dem Bösen.
Denn dein ist das Reich und die Kraft und die Herrlichkeit in Ewigkeit Amen.
Heidelberg Catechism (Heidelbergse Catechismus) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit