Beverly Lewis - Amish Prayers

Amish Prayers

Copyright 2011 by Beverly M. Lewis, Inc.

Translation from Die Ernsthafte Christenpflicht prepared by Katie Polley

Copyright 2011 by Bethany House Publishers

Cover design by Studio Gearbox

Interior design by Melinda Schumacher

Interior illustrations copyright 2011 by Phil Stauffer

Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Das Vaterunser is from the Luther Bibel 1545.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1413-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, MN 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

E-book edition created 2011

Foreword

The German prayer book Die Ernsthafte Christenpflicht has held a dear place in the hearts of Anabaptists since the date of its earliest printing in 1708. Immigrant Anabaptists committed many of the original long prayers to memory and read them to their children each morning and evening. Along with the old German Bible, the written prayers were regarded as a precious possession, and today they continue to be embraced by Amish and Mennonites alike.

The excerpts of prayers included in this new edition have been translated afresh from the original German prayer book, which has remained unchanged since its first printing.

While compiling the sometimes beseeching, often praise-filled prayers found here, I sensed a deep spiritual connection to the European Christians who first penned these earnest petitions to our heavenly Father. Because some of my own ancestors on my paternal great-grandmothers side were persecuted and martyred for the sake of Christ in the year 1685, I am profoundly honored and most humbled to be connected in any small way to this revered collection.

My Swiss ancestors brought copies of the Christenpflict to the New World, where they settled and farmed a two-thousand-acre tract of land (originally purchased from William Penn) that later came to be called Paradise in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was there that both my maternal grandparents, Omar and Ada Buchwalter, were born. Their parents farmland adjoined, and Omar and Ada learned as little children to pray the Lords Prayer, as well as a few of the prayers printed in this book.

Each prayer and accompanying Scripture passage can be used either in personal devotions or collectively with fellow worshippers. My Plain friends and relatives in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana use the prayers in their morning and evening family worship, as silent table prayers, and in private quiet time. Several prayers are read publicly after the testimonies are given during Amish house-church and other Sunday gatherings, or are shared in smaller group settings.

It is my hope that divine comfort and inspiration might spring from these remarkable Christian prayers, perhaps as a tool for confessing sin, offering thanksgiving, or guiding ones worship. Most of all, I pray that you, the reader, might grasp some measure of the original writers desire for peace and protection in the midst of shared danger, as well as a fervent longing to embrace the grace and mercy of God while living in obedience to Christs teachings.

O Lord, almighty God and heavenly Father, you did not give us life and set us in this world merely so we would nourish ourselves with grief and work until we return to the dust from whence we came. Instead, you ordained our lives so that we should fear you and love you, and cleave to you with all our hearts. Even as your divine grace gave us the day to work, so you gave us the night to rest. Under your fatherly shield of protection, we have mercifully enjoyed this rest, and for that we humbly praise and bless you with deep gratitude. Amen.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Y ou have once again let day dawn for us, O heavenly Father; may we remember this is your merciful gift. Teach us to understand why you have given us this glorious gift, and why you let your wonderful sun rise above us: so we may live each day according to your will and prepare ourselves for the never-ending day you will create.

Holy Father, may we learn to abandon and avoid the night of darkness and sin so we may walk in the clear light of your divine mercy. Let us set aside the acts of darkness and take up the weapons of light so that we may always walk with integrity. Amen.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Psalm 84:11

W e ask you, almighty God and heavenly Father, who knows all of our shortcomings and weaknesses, and without whose help and mercy we could neither do nor be anything: Give us grace, that together we may call on you in spirit and in truth. May this, O Lord, serve to praise, honor, and glorify you, and bring all of us consolation, salvation, and eternal life. Amen.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:6

W e ask you, holy Father, have mercy on us, as a compassionate father has mercy on his children. Send your holy angel down from above to serve as a guide, that he might go before us and fight against our foes and critics, and save us from the clutches of those who hate you. Protect us until such time that you see we are able to suffer and endure all that you have set over us, and may we not waver from your holy Word, neither to the left nor to the right. This we ask you, holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ! Amen.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto childrens children.

Psalm 103:17

O Lord Almighty, eternal, good, and gracious God, merciful heavenly Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, you are the one who best understands all our faults and our emptiness; you know that we are nothing and have nothing. Without your holy blessing, support, help, and mercy, we are incapable of doing anything.

So we ask you very humbly from our hearts, dear holy Father in heaven: Give us grace that together we might pray to you aright. Help us always; give us your holy, gracious blessing so we might pray with reverence, in spirit and in truth. May you accept our prayer and raise it up so that it may serve you and your fame, to your great glory, praise, and honor. Amen.