Baptism

† A Prayer for Living in One’s Baptism †
In Holy Baptism, O triune God, You entered into my heart and made it Your temple and dwelling-place. Keep me always mindful of this high distinction. Whenever Satan seeks to seduce me to sin, to neglect Your Word and will, to dishonesty, selfishness, and envy, help me to resist him in Your strength, to beat back his attacks and obtain the victory. Father in heaven, let me never forget that I am Your child and that Satan’s only purpose is to separate me from You. O Saviour, Jesus Christ, keep Your bitter suffering ever before me, so that I hate and abhor every sin, no matter how small it may seem. O Holy Spirit, who has regenerated me, keep me in this newness of life, and let not Satan lure me back into the way that leads to eternal damnation. Triune God, keep me constant in Your means of grace—the Word and Sacraments—that in the power of Your might I may be able to withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand. Hear me, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

† A Prayer in Remembrance of Holy Baptism †
Dear Father in heaven, You have adopted me as Your very own and given me Your name in the waters of my Holy Baptism. You have generously poured out upon me Your Holy Spirit through Your Son, my only Saviour, Jesus Christ. By the washing of the water with Your Word, I have been united with Him in His death. Just as surely do I have a share in His resurrection and His never-ending life. For His sake You have called me a beloved child and declared me to be well-pleasing in Your sight. For all of this I thank and praise You.

Yet, my old Adam remains, with all my sinful desires, while the devil and the world seek to entice me away from You. Only You can help me and save me. Be gracious to me; guard and protect me from all evil. Surround me with Your holy angels; keep the devil at bay, and all his works and all his ways far from me. Return me always to the saving waters of my Holy Baptism, and thereby drown and destroy the old Adam within me. By Your Word and Holy Spirit, bring me daily to contrition and repentance, and by Your free and full forgiveness of my sins, strengthen and sustain my faith and lift me up with Your dear Son to that new life that shows forth Your praise; through the same Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Lutheran Book of Prayer, p. 18, available from Concordia Publishing House