The Reformation was an extraordinary time of profound spiritual fervor. Grace from Heaven collects prayers from influential Protestant voices of the Reformation that express deep longings, theological richness, and a burning desire for God’s grace. The prayers are arranged by topic and time—from praise to petition, morning to evening—so that your prayer life can be interwoven with the rich tapestry of prayers of faithful Christians from the past. By praying along with Martin Luther, John Calvin, Marguerite de Navarre, William Tyndale, and many others, we join the chorus of Reformation believers in prayer and contemplation.
The tender yet forceful prayers of the great Reformers were used mightily by God to give success to the Reformation. And oh what kingdom-hearted praise and petitions they are! When I read Grace from Heaven: Prayers of the Reformation, I felt as though I had stumbled upon pearls of great price. Robert Elmer has put together a precious collection for the soul’s enrichment, a wealthy volume of wisdom from men and women who turned the tide of church history. As I prayed along with these great saints, I felt my personal worship, confession, and intercession rising to a new and wondrous level. … Grace from Heaven now has a home next to my Bible, and I trust it’ll find a home in your heart, too.
—Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center
There’s nothing like dipping into a book of beautiful prayers from Christians who have gone before us—praying their words, recalibrating our hearts, and yearning for a similar passion for the same God. This book provides a wonderful collection of prayers from believers from the Reformation era of church history. You will be encouraged and edified as you encounter these believers—speaking their words and echoing their hearts.
—Trevin Wax, author of The Thrill of Orthodoxy
The sixteenth century is known for its reform of doctrine, sacraments, and church order—but it was just as much a reformation of prayer. This lovely collection invites you into the sanctuary of the reformers’ prayers, showing how prayer, too, is at the heart of the gospel.
—Sarah Hinlicky Wilson, associate pastor at Tokyo Lutheran Church and visiting professor of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France
The Prayers of the Church series gathers the legacy of faith and wisdom from across the Christian tradition to help readers grow into godliness. Each volume focuses on a different tradition or historical era, bringing spiritual riches from across history and the global church to new readers today.
Robert Elmer is editor of Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans and author of over fifty books of Christian fiction, devotion, and apologetics. He and his family live in Lynden, Washington.