DEVOTION//Appeal for Prayer against the Coronavirus

In Luther’s day, the Muslims threatened to overrun Europe. From their stronghold in Turkey, the Muslims had conquered the Balkans. Muslim armies had conquered northern Africa and controlled most of Spain.  France was in their sights.

In Luther’s Appeal for Prayer against the Turks,” he attempts to rouse Christendom to unleash its fiercest weapon: prayer. Prayer remains the Christian’s powerful weapon against all enemies – including diseases like COVID-19.

If Luther had written his essay in 2020, he may have named it, Appeal for Prayer against the Coronavirus. Below is a segment of the essay.

The people are also to be admonished to pray [by their pastors].

The Lord’s Prayer and all prayers are the common heritage of all Christians, laity as well as clergy. But especially do the preachers, who proclaim the word and who are in a position of leadership, need to set a good example in this matter. We have many books now which teach us how we are to pray, especially not to doubt when praying.

Whoever is inclined to doubt that God will answer his prayer might as well drop the idea entirely and not bother with God and prayer. For God cannot and will not tolerate our doubting. That is to say, God cannot and will not allow us to call him a liar or to say that he is untrue to his word.

To doubt is the same as to say, “Lord God, I do not know whether I can believe you when you say, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you … if you ask anything in my name, I will do it’ ” [John 14:12, 14]. There are many other similar verses.

Therefore, when you pray, remember that you may approach God boldly and without hesitation (provided, of course, you acknowledge your sin and earnestly desire to better your life, as I have indicated before).

When you pray, say,

“Lord God, heavenly Father, I come to thee with my petition which I urgently desire thee to answer, and I pray in firm and fixed assurance. Otherwise, I’d rather not pray.

Not that I am right or worthy. In fact, I know and confess that I have not deserved thy kindness. Much rather, by a multitude of great sins, I have merited hellfire and thy eternal wrath.

Yet I am a little bit obedient in this regard, that thou dost ask me, yes, thou dost compel me to pray in the name of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the assurance and firm hope of thy boundless goodness, and not because of any worthiness on my part, I bow before thee and ask thee for such and such.…”

Source: Martin Luther (Luther’s Works, vol. 43: Devotional Writings II; Vol. 43, pp. 229–230). Philadelphia: Fortress Press).

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