Prayer, in His Time of Crisis
9/16/2001
O God, Almighty God everlasting! How dreadful is the world! Behold how its mouth opens to swallow me up, and how small is my faith in You! … Oh! The weakness of the flesh, and the power of Satan! If I am to depend upon any strength of this world—all is over. …The knell is struck.… Sentence is gone forth.… O God. O God. O You, my God, help me against all the wisdom of this world. Do this, I beseech You; You should do this …by Your own mighty power … The work is not mine, but Yours. I have no business here.… I have nothing to contend for with these great men of the world! I would gladly pass my days in happiness and peace. But the cause is Yours … And it is righteous and everlasting! O Lord! Help me! O faithful and unchangeable God. I lean not upon man. It is vain! Whatever is of man is tottering, whatever proceeds from him must fail. My God, my God. Do You not hear? My God, are You no longer living? Nay, You can not die. You only hide Yourself. You have chosen me for this work. I know it! … Therefore, O God, accomplish Your own will! Forsake me not, for the sake of Your well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, my defense, my buckler, and my stronghold.
Lord—where are You? … My God, where are You? … Come! I pray You, I am ready … Behold I am prepared to lay down my life for Your truth …suffering like a lamb. For the cause is holy. It is Your own! … I will not let You go! No, nor yet for all eternity! And though the world should be thronged with devils—and this body, which is the work of Your hands, should be cast forth, trodden underfoot, cut in pieces . . . consumed to ashes, my soul is Yours. Yes, I have Your own word to assure me of it. My soul belongs to You, and will abide with You forever! Amen!
O God, send help! … Amen!
(martin luther)