Prayer of Hans Koch and Leonhard Meister

The following earnest prayer to God was spoken by Hans Koch and Leonhard Meister before their death, and left for the comfort of all their fellow believers

O God, see now from Your high throne the misery of Your servants, how the enemy persecutes them because it is their purpose to walk in the narrow way, and how abominably they are scorned. Whoever comes to know You, and holds fast to Your words, is despised and scorned by them. O God of heaven, we have all sinned before You; therefore chastise us in mercy. We beg You, let us enjoy Your grace, so that Your honor may not be profaned by us before this world, which now seems determined to extinguish Your Word. We could well have peace with them, if we would not confess Your holy name, and not believe in Your Son, that He atoned for us on the cross, bore our sins, and paid our debt. The enemy has no other reason for his daily raging against us than that we do not do his will, but love You, O God, in our hearts, which neither Satan nor his followers can endure. So they press us with great distress, and afflict us with much tribulation. So our misdeed, on account of which the enemy fights so hard against us, is that we place our hope in You alone, and in Your dear Son Christ Jesus, and in the Holy Ghost; therefore we must suffer reproach, because we do not set ourselves against You; if we would give ourselves up to idolatry, and practice every kind of wickedness, they would let us live unharmed, in peace and quiet. Therefore, O dear Lord, take up arms for us, and judge all those who disregard Your power and might. If we would deny Your Word, antichrist would not hate us; indeed, if we would believe his false doctrine, follow his error, and walk with the world on the broad road, we would have favor with them; but because we seek to follow You, we are hated and forsaken by the world. But though the enemy brings us to torment, it does not happen to us alone; it was done to Christ our Redeemer as well, for they afflicted Him first with much reproach and suffering; and so it was with all who held to Him, and believed in His Word. So Christ Himself says: [n568-1] "Do not marvel if the world hates you; for it hated me first; they have not received my words; so they will not receive your words either. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also; and when all these things happen to you, rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven." Christ comforts us still more through the mouth of His beloved apostles, saying: "If we suffer with him, we shall also rejoice with him, and reign in everlasting joy." What does it matter if we are ridiculed and scorned here for a little while, since God promises us eternal rest and bliss? O Lord, You see and hear the mockery and insult, and the suffering with which Your children are afflicted. You also know their small and feeble strength; therefore we pray You, O God, to protect Your own honor, and to sanctify Your name, which is now so dreadfully profaned by all those who, here on earth, are of high and low estate. Show Your power, so that the enemy may see and understand Your divine strength, and may learn to be ashamed. O Lord God, have compassion on Your poor sheep, who are scattered, and no longer have a true shepherd to teach them from now on. Send them Your Holy Spirit, that He may feed and satisfy them with Your grace, and that they may not listen to the voice of a stranger, to the end. O God, in Your high majesty, graciously hear our petition, and do not forsake us, since we are in great tribulation and conflict. Give us steadfast patience through Christ Your Son, our Captain, who can defeat Satan with all his host. To Him be honor, and praise to His holy name. Amen.

Matthew 7, verse 14; Psalm 106, verse 6; Daniel 9, verse 5; First Peter 2, verse 24; Matthew 22, verse 37; First Peter 4, verse 3; Matthew 7, verse 13; John 17, verse 14; First Peter 4, verse 1; Isaiah 53; Matthew 27; Luke 24, verse 26; John 15, verse 18; First John 3, verse 13; Matthew 5, verse 12; Romans 8, verse 11; Second Timothy 2, verse 12; John 10, verse 5.