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Martin Luther
Martin Luther (1483–1546). Born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Saxony (now Germany), to Hans and Margarethe Luther, Martin Luther grew up in a strict Catholic household, his father intent on him becoming a lawyer. After earning a bachelor’s degree in 1501 and a master’s in 1505 at the University of Erfurt, a near-fatal thunderstorm experience led him to vow to St. Anne, entering an Augustinian monastery in 1505. Ordained a priest in 1507, he grappled with spiritual turmoil over sin until finding peace in justification by faith through studying Romans. Appointed professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg in 1512, he earned a doctorate and lectured with deepening conviction. On October 31, 1517, he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door, condemning indulgences and igniting the Protestant Reformation. His works, like On the Freedom of a Christian (1520), challenged papal authority, spreading rapidly and emphasizing salvation by grace through faith alone. Excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521 and outlawed at the Diet of Worms, Luther stood firm, protected by Frederick the Wise, and hid at Wartburg Castle, translating the New Testament into German in 1522 to make Scripture accessible. Back in Wittenberg, he preached thousands of sermons, wrote hymns like “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and penned The Bondage of the Will (1525), defending divine sovereignty. In 1525, he married Katharina von Bora, a former nun, raising six children in a vibrant Christian home, modeling family life. His reforms ended clerical celibacy, simplified worship, and birthed Lutheranism, though his harsh words against Jews and peasants drew criticism. Despite chronic illness, he produced catechisms, a full Bible translation by 1534, and mediated disputes until his death on February 18, 1546, in Eisleben. Luther said, “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.”
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Martin Luther's morning prayer expresses gratitude to God for protection from evil and danger throughout the night and seeks continued protection from evil and sin for the day ahead. Luther surrenders himself completely to God's care, asking for guidance for all his actions to be pleasing to God. He also requests the presence of God's holy Angels to guard him against the enemy's influence.
Luther's Morning Prayer
Luther's Morning Prayer From: Luther's Little Instruction Book (The Small Catechism of Martin Luther) Appendix 1: Devotions Translated by Robert E. Smith July 11, 1994 My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
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Martin Luther (1483–1546). Born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Saxony (now Germany), to Hans and Margarethe Luther, Martin Luther grew up in a strict Catholic household, his father intent on him becoming a lawyer. After earning a bachelor’s degree in 1501 and a master’s in 1505 at the University of Erfurt, a near-fatal thunderstorm experience led him to vow to St. Anne, entering an Augustinian monastery in 1505. Ordained a priest in 1507, he grappled with spiritual turmoil over sin until finding peace in justification by faith through studying Romans. Appointed professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg in 1512, he earned a doctorate and lectured with deepening conviction. On October 31, 1517, he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door, condemning indulgences and igniting the Protestant Reformation. His works, like On the Freedom of a Christian (1520), challenged papal authority, spreading rapidly and emphasizing salvation by grace through faith alone. Excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521 and outlawed at the Diet of Worms, Luther stood firm, protected by Frederick the Wise, and hid at Wartburg Castle, translating the New Testament into German in 1522 to make Scripture accessible. Back in Wittenberg, he preached thousands of sermons, wrote hymns like “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and penned The Bondage of the Will (1525), defending divine sovereignty. In 1525, he married Katharina von Bora, a former nun, raising six children in a vibrant Christian home, modeling family life. His reforms ended clerical celibacy, simplified worship, and birthed Lutheranism, though his harsh words against Jews and peasants drew criticism. Despite chronic illness, he produced catechisms, a full Bible translation by 1534, and mediated disputes until his death on February 18, 1546, in Eisleben. Luther said, “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.”