Prayer on Epiphany

O DEAREST LORD JESUS, Thou hast in every deed shown Thyself the God of the Gentiles and the Jews, and being the true light for all men that come into this world, Thou wouldest illumine all men unto life eternal. For not only didst Thou, through the guidance of that wonderful star, lead unto Thyself the wise men of the East, that they must honor and adore Thee as their king, but Thou hast brought us poor heathen into Thy kingdom of grace and to the saving knowledge of Thyself, by means of the enlightening power of Thy divine Word. O my Savior, Thy faithfulness and grace shown to us is so great that we can never sufficiently thank Thee. We were without God, strangers and outside the commonwealth of Israel; but Thou hast made us, Thy people, fellow-citizens with the saints and of God’s household. We were altogether too blind to know Thee and to find: the way to life eternal, but Thou, O Lord Jesus, hast opened the eyes of our mind, and hast made us rich in all knowledge. We sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, but Thou didst cause Thy glory to shine upon us, so that we are now walking in Thy light and may in time enter eternal bliss in heaven. For this we justly laud and praise Thee with thankful hearts and tongues, on this sacred day; and we shall sing Thy grace and goodness as long as we have our breath. We furthermore pray Thee, O most faithful Redeemer, cause Thy grace to abound in us, keep us and our descendants in the blessed knowledge of Thyself to the end of time, and so guide and lead us by Thy Holy Spirit that we no longer, like the heathen, walk in the vanity of our minds and according to our own lusts, but rather lead a godly life, as the children of life, and serve Thee in due obedience as our king all the days of our life. And since Thou, O dearest Jesus, didst so powerfully deliver us from the kingdom of darkness and didst so mercifully receive us unto Thy kingdom of grace, let us also be and remain blessed citizens of Thy kingdom of joy and honor in heaven and heirs of Thy eternal glory, for Thine exalted name’s sake. Amen.