It is a little more difficult to give the morning prayer a fixed place
in our life than the evening prayer, because in the morning we feel
strengthened by sleep and are in a hurry to get to our work. But if we
thus seem to think that we cannot find time to say a morning prayer,
let us remember the old proverb: "In prayer is no delay," and if there
are other reasons--petty things that have hindered us--then let us
summon our will and say to ourselves: _I want to!_ The morning prayer
is henceforth to have a fixed place in my everyday life and in my home,
and I think everything will go well: In prayer is no delay.
Just as the evening prayer because of the significance of time is
particularly adapted as a _protection_ against temptation, so the
morning prayer for a corresponding reason is especially fit to prove a
_gain_ to us.
When we arise in the morning, the day is facing us, and it is of
importance that we approach our work with willingness and high
hopes--whether the work be that of the intellectual or the manual
laborer. But, how often is it not the case that we approach our work
slovenly and sourly--with the consequence that we feel it a burden and
a difficulty. We do not discover that rest and that joy in the work
which God bestowed upon it. The work becomes nothing but unwillingly
done toil, and the day seems long and weary.
By way of suggesting a preventive I know of nothing better than to
start the day with a morning prayer. It stimulates the willingness to
work, to begin the day by thanking God for the night that has vanished,
and to pray for blessing upon the work of the coming day. It imparts
joy of living. It makes it easier to discover the rest and the delight
in work, no matter how exerting that may be.
How often is it not the case that the man who is ready to go to his
work, gets up silently and grouchingly, washes himself and sits down
at the table: Breakfast is not yet ready, and his wife gets for this
reason some nagging reproaches. At last the meal is served. Silently
the man partakes of his breakfast, takes his hat and his dinnerpail,
remarks sulkily that now he is going--and goes. Such a start promises a
cheerless day for both man and wife. He goes to his shop or field with
head bent low and his mind heavy while his wife takes up her duties at
home--without cheer.
How different would not the _day_ and the _work_ be for the man and
wife if they could unite in a little morning prayer and part with the
words of the poet upon their lips:
Then gladly we go
Each to his work
Relying upon God's grace.
Thus gaining strength
To be of use, as God wills
In the very best way we know.
And that applies to all of us.
We all need to be told that we should go to our work with more
gladness, rely more upon the grace of God, get more and more strength
and joy wherewith to do our work so as to please God. To this end, the
morning prayer is an incentive, and that is why I consider it a _gain_.
Just as the time of youth is the period when we stand most in need of
the evening prayer because the temptations then are the strongest and
meet with least resistance on our part, so we need the morning prayer
the most at the time of maturity because it then is of particular
importance that we
----gain strength
To be of use, as God wills,
In the very best way we know.
This does not mean that there is any time in our lives that we do not
need the evening prayer as well as the morning prayer. Indeed, we
need both throughout our entire life, for we are always in want of
protection against temptations, always in need of gaining increasing
joy of living and happiness. Therefore, let us give both a fixed and
permanent place in our everyday life and thus try to become "steadfast
in prayer."
And in that steadfast prayer _the Apostles' Creed_ and _the Lord's
Prayer_ must be absorbed as an inseparable part.