Gebet eines Dienstboten
The Servant's Calling
The servant acknowledges their redemption in Christ and asks for grace to accept their earthly station without resentment.
Merciful God, who through the precious suffering and death of your dear Son Jesus Christ have redeemed and set me free from eternal bondage, from the power of sin, from the dominion of darkness, and from the cruel tyranny of the devil, and have made me lord over death and hell: I ask you to give me grace, that I may not grow resentful of my station of bodily service, into which you have placed me here on earth according to your will and good pleasure, and that I may not murmur in impatience against your ordering of things, nor begrudge other people their higher station, but that I may do this will of yours from my whole heart, with good will, and think of nothing else than that I am serving you, God in heaven, and not people on earth.✦
Faithful Service to God and Man
The servant prays for the strength, integrity, and wisdom to serve their earthly masters with the same devotion they owe to God.
So help me now, dear God, that I may serve you, the highest Lord in heaven and on earth, in true knowledge and right fear, love you above all things, set all my hope and blessedness in you, and walk blamelessly in your commandments; and then also that I may be patiently obedient to my earthly master and mistress—not only the kind and gentle ones, but also the difficult and rough—in all things that are not against you, with all reverence, in the simplicity of my heart, as to Christ my Lord; not with eye-service alone, as if to please people, but from the depth of my heart for the sake of your command and commandment.✦✦1 Give grace that I may be found faithful in everything entrusted to me and put into my care; that I neglect nothing and ruin nothing, and allow no waste or damage to come about through carelessness; and also that I may not covet another's property that is trusted to me and placed in my hands, or embezzle it.✦✦ Preserve my health, strengthen my limbs and all the powers of my body, and equip me also with reason and wisdom, that I may be able to tend the work of my master and mistress, improve their livelihood through your divine help, so that through my diligence they may be blessed and increased in abundance; and that everything I do and carry out may serve your divine honor and become for me a blessed exercise of my faith, for the sake of Jesus Christ, your dear Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.2
The Seal of Prayer
The prayer concludes with the traditional affirmation of faith.
Amen.
Read the original Latin
Barmherziger Gott, der du mich durch deines lieben Sohnes Jesu Christi teures Leiden und Sterben von der ewigen Dienstbarkeit, von der Gewalt der Sünden, von der Obrigkeit der Finsternis, von der grausamen Tyrannei des Teufels erlöset und befreit, zum Herrn über Tod und Hölle gemacht hast: ich bitte dich, du wollest mir Gnade geben, dass ich an meinem Stand der leiblichen Dienstbarkeit, darein du mich hier auf Erden nach deinem Willen und Wohlgefallen gesetzt hast, keinen Verdruss gewinne, und nicht etwa wider deine Ordnung in Ungeduld murre, auch andern Leuten ihren höheren Stand nicht missgönne, sondern dass ich solchen deinen Willen tue von ganzem Herzen mit gutem Willen und nicht anders gedenke, als diente ich dir, Gott im Himmel, und nicht den Menschen auf Erden. So hilf nun, lieber Gott, dass ich dir, dem höchsten Herrn im Himmel und auf Erden, in wahrer Erkenntnis und rechter Furcht diene, dich über alles liebe, alle meine Hoffnung und Seligkeit in dich setze und in deinen Geboten untadelig wandele, darnach auch, dass ich meinem leiblichen Herrn und Frauen, nicht allein den gütigen und gelinden, sondern auch den wunderlichen und ungeschlachten, in Geduld gehorsam sei in allen Dingen, die nicht wider dich sind, mit aller Furcht in Einfältigkeit meines Herzens, als Christo, meinem Herren, nicht mit Dienst allein vor Augen, als den Menschen zu gefallen, sondern von Herzensgrund um deines Befehles und Gebotes willen. Gib Gnade, dass ich treu erfunden werde in allem, das mir befohlen ist und eingetan wird, nichts verwahrlose und zu Schanden mache, auch keinen Unrat und Schaden durch Unachtsamkeit geschehen lasse, dazu dass ich mich fremdes Guts, so mir vertraut und unter die Hände gegeben, nicht lasse gelüsten, oder dasselbige veruntreue. Bewahre mir meine Gesundheit, stärke meine Gliedmaßen und alle Kräfte meines Leibes, dazu begabe mich mit Vernunft und Weisheit, dass ich die Arbeit meines Herren und Frauen könne versorgen, ihre Nahrung durch deine göttliche Hilfe bessern, auf dass sie durch meinen Fleiß gesegnet und in die Menge ausgebreitet werden, und alles, was ich tue und ausrichte, dass es gereiche zu deinen göttlichen Ehren und mir zu einer seligen Übung meines Glaubens um Jesu Christi, deines lieben Sohnes willen, welcher mit dir lebet und regieret in Einigkeit Heiligen Geistes, von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Col.1.13 — He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves.
- ↩Eph.6.5-Eph.6.7;Col.3.22-Col.3.24 — Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ— Eph.6.6 — not in the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, Eph.6.7 — Serve with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to people. Col.3.22 — Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Col.3.23 — Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. Col.3.24 — knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- ↩1Pet.2.18 — Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear—not only to the good and gentle, but also to the overbearing.
- ↩1Cor.4.2 — Moreover, what is required of stewards is that one be found faithful.
- ↩Exod.20.17 — You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'Herr und Frauen' means household master and mistress (employers), not 'lord and lady' in a courtly sense; 'wunderlichen und ungeschlachten' rendered as 'difficult and rough' for harsh or uncouth masters.
- 2 ↩'ihre Nahrung ... bessern' and 'in die Menge ausgebreitet' refer to improving the household's livelihood/provisions and seeing them multiplied; rendered as livelihood and increased in abundance rather than mere table-food.
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