Martin Luther is well known as the originator of the Protestant Reformation. Born into a humble family life Luther sought to better himself by pursuing the scholarly life. It was at the age of 20 that Luther began to suffer a deep anxiety about the surety of his salvation, which drove him to join an Augustinian monastery to soothe his religious conscience.

By auditing Luther’s writing we discover that he is not only a man of brilliant theological understanding, he is also a man of deep piety. Luther’s thoughts on prayer are a rich seam of insight born not from theory but from experience. As a theologian however he does present teaching on prayer in a systematic format breaking it down into themes of supplication, petition and thanksgiving.

"In 'supplication’ we strengthen prayer and make it effective by a certain form of persuasion; for instance, we may entreat one to granta request for the sake of a father, or of something dearly loved or highly prized".  As a supplicant Luther suggests that our prayer is reinforced by an appeal to a personal or biblical remembrance such as Solomon praying "Remember David in all his affliction" or Paul "I... entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ"

In Petitioning, Luther encourages us to clearly state what "we have at heart, naming the desire we express in prayer and supplication. Ask... seek... knock."  This is an expression of a simple truth of Scripture, 'how can you receive if you do not ask?’ Luther premises this concept squarely on "Ask...seek...knock" (Matt 7:7)

In Thanksgiving we "recount blessings received and thus strengthen our confidence and enable ourselves to wait trustingly for what we pray."  It is important to be able to look back at our past petitions and to discern how God answered the requests. This has the effect,not of building our self-confidence, rather it has the effect of building our confidence in God "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matt 7:8)

"Prayer is made vigorous by petitioning; urgent by supplication; by thanksgiving, pleasing and acceptable."

Luther’s account of prayer is an encouragement to hold tight to the promises of God, that He indeed hears and answers our prayers. Our prayers should be predicated on the movement of God in the past and within our lives, which we can identify in thanksgiving.