Paul W. Arndt - Blog and Updates

Lent 2026 - Practice 2: The Evening and Morning Prayer

A blessed first week of Lent to you.

Each Wednesday during Lent I'd like to introduce you to a simple, yet powerful, spiritual practice to help you meditate on the person and work of Jesus.

Each week I'll give you some guidance, a few resources, and a couple of words of encouragement for the week ahead.

Here's a brief introduction to the second practice ...

The Practice

In the morning when you rise, pray …

Luther’s Morning Prayer
I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray Thee to keep me this day also from sin and all evil, that all my doings and life may please Thee. For into Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have no power over me. Amen. (Triglotta, Small Catechism)
In the evening when you go to bed, pray …

Luther’s Evening Prayer
I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast graciously kept me this day, and I pray Thee to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have no power over me. Amen. (Triglotta, Small Catechism)

Then meditate on the following …

It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, Most High,

to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night. (Psalm 92:1-2)

Using Psalm 4 and Psalm 5, proclaim the faithfulness of the Lord in the evening and his loving kindness in the morning …

Psalm 4 (Evening Psalm)


I thank …

I commend …

I go to bed and rest in peace.


As you prepare to go to sleep, reflect upon the events of the day and thank the Triune God for his faithfulness. Use the following thoughts from Psalm 4:8 to go to bed in peace ...

  • As I end this day, I thank the Triune God for his faithfulness. Throughout this day, He has …
  • As I sleep and rest from the activities of this day, I release and commend the following into the hands of the Triune God …
  • I trust that the Lord will guard my heart and my mind and I ask that He will grant me His peace, especially from the following ...

Psalm 5 (Morning Psalm)


I ask …

I commend …

Throughout the day I watch.


Use the following thoughts from Psalm 5:1-3 to pray for the events of the day ...

  • This morning I ask the Triune God for ...
  • This morning I trust that the Triune God gives ALL gifts needed for this day and I commend the following into His hands ...
  • As I begin the work of this day and fulfill my vocation I wait in expectation for ...

Make use of the following sayings throughout the week. They are daggers that you can use against the unholy trinity.

“Lord, you have kept … so you will keep!”

“Into Thy hands I commend …”

“The Holy Angel is with me ..”


For supplemental videos you can go to ... Lent 2026 - Daily Practice 2.
I pray that this simple, and yet profound, set of practices will help you learn how to make use of the person and work of Jesus Christ so that you can ...
  • fight against the "unholy trinity"
  • defend yourself with all of the promises of Jesus
  • and receive all of the gifts that only the Triune God can give
We commend all into the Lord's hands. Come what may, we do belong to Jesus.

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The Receptive Life

The Receptive Life is a distinctly Lutheran devotional resource that will help you learn how to make use of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

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It is a daily and intentional spiritual formation process that is rooted in the Scriptures and is framed by the chief parts of Martin Luther's Small Catechism.

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    2026-02-24 10:46 Lent 2026