Look, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith. At times I doubt and am unable to trust you completely. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. I have insured all my treasure in Your name. I am poor; You are rich and You did come to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; You are upright. With me there is an abundance of sin; with You, a fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with You, from whom I can receive but to whom I may not give. Amen (Brokering, Herbert F., ed. Luther's Prayers (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House), 1994).
What I intend to write about on this blog is Lutheran spirituality. Lutheran spirituality is all about receiving: coming to Christ as an empty vessel that needs to be filled with His gifts in Word and Sacrament; then going out into the world to serve in whatever vocation the Lord has called you to, and sharing what you have received with your neighbor -- in other words, emptying yourself for their benefit. And so it goes: being filled and emptied and filled again.
That's what this blog is all about. And more to the point, that is what life in Christ as His baptized people is all about.
