Almighty God, dear Father. You not only promised Abraham, "I am your God, and your seeds after you," but also assured us through Your apostles that this promise was for us and our children. Therefore do not be angry that I take it upon myself to speak with You and pour into Your lap my prayer and sighs on behalf of my sick child, Andrew. Lord, he is Your creature and the work of Your hands! You fashioned him in his mother's womb, gifted him with body and soul, and added life and goodness to him. You brought him to the light of this world, received him as Your child in Holy Baptism, and have kept him in Your grace until now. Receive him therefore into Your care at this time also when he is in weakness.

Oh, do not count against him his sin, in which he was conceived and born, and with which he has transgressed Your most holy Commandments in his life. Have mercy on him according to Your great goodness. Relieve his pains and sickness, and if You will, restore him soon to health.

Lord, it is in Your hand and power to restore him to complete health, and You will do so, too, if You find that it is profitable to Your glory, my welfare; and his own salvation. But if, according to Your holy counsel, You do otherwise with him, and he must lie in recovery longer, or else must die prematurely, then not my will but Yours be done, for it is always the best.

Lord Jesus, precious Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, behold this poor lamb which You have purchased with the most valuable redemption price for Your own possession. Wash him and cleanse him from all his sins with Your innocent blood, strengthen him by Your Holy Spirit in true faith in You and Your merit, in Christian patience under the cross which You have laid upon him, and in the good hope of Your gracious help.

If it pleases You that this child should be brought up in Your fear, and to see that he keeps increasing in all Christian virtues from year to year by Your blessing, I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Lord, only speak a word and he shall be healed and live! But if You have decided to take him to Yourself by a blessed death (for You have a greater right to him than I), I will be at peace, knowing that You will bring his soul by Your holy angels to the spirits of the perfectly righteous in heaven, and on the Last Day, in the resurrection of the righteous, You will clothe his body with blessed immortality and make him like Your glorified body.

God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of adoption and God of all comfort fill my grieving soul and my sick child's heart with Your powerful comfort. Assist his weakness by Your heavenly power, and represent him before God with sighs too deep for words.

Grant me grace also that I may submit obediently to the will of God, humble myself under Your mighty hand, await the departure of this sickness with a quiet spirit, and say nothing more than this: You are the Lord, do as You please.

Up till now I have seen in the godliness and good nature of Andrew that he belongs to You; let him also be devoted and dedicated to You in his living and dying. If he is taken from my bosom and embraced by death, then transport him to the bosom of Your grace, and You will satisfy him in heaven with the breast of Your consolation, that at God's right hand he may partake of the fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.

Amen, Lord, triune God! Say to my prayer and supplication: Amen. Yes, yes, it shall be so. Amen!