But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing." His mother said to him, "Upon me be your curse, my son; only obey my word, and go, fetch them to me." So he went and took them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savory food, such as his father loved.
Genesis 27:11–14 (RSV)
But above all a ruler in the church should pray in this manner: "Lord God, Thou hast appointed me in the church as bishop and pastor. Thou seest how unfit I am to attend to such a great and difficult office, and if it had not been for Thy help, I would long since have ruined everything. Therefore I call upon Thee. Of course, I want to put my mouth and heart to use. I shall teach the people, and I myself shall learn and shall meditate diligently on Thy Word. Use me as Thy instrument. Only do not forsake me; for if I am alone, I shall easily destroy everything." Luther's Works Volume 5:123
Luther was a solid teacher of Holy Scripture. He was teaching on the book of Genesis in late 1541 or early 1542, when he was musing on the folly of Jacob's deception of his father, Isaac. In danger of being found to be a fraud and not trusting in God's guidance, Jacob was selfishly not only trying to cheat his brother Esau but sidestep God's purposes as well.
Yet God made use of Jacob and his trickery in the fulfillment of His will. Even when we act the fool or thief, God's will is not thwarted. Jacob, who would become Israel, was led by God to accomplish His purpose of creating the people of Israel.
The quote from volume 5 of Luther's Works has been called 'Luther's Sacristy Prayer.' It is often placed where the pastor might see and pray it before leading worship and proclaiming the Word of God. I find great comfort in knowing that even Luther felt the weight of his office. He confessed that he would fail in his calling to serve God's Church without God's grace.
It remains the prayer of most pastors I have been privileged to know. We give thanks that the Father makes use of us in His Church. We give thanks for the many saints of the churches we serve who lift us in prayer, that we might accomplish what the Father desires.