And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2Pe 1:19 NIV)

From the very beginning the Lord of the Church has spread his truth by people. He has increased his church by the church making her not only a congregation of the faithful, but also a gathering of those, who are yet to believe.

This wonderful treasure and beauty of the Church should not intoxicate the poor servants of God, but rather humble them continually. For even as faithful members of the Church they do not deserve to be bearers of the exclusive means of saving grace. These precious means by which they save others, have saved them too. Even if the Church is so very bright and beautiful, her prophetic and apostolic word by far exceeds this shine and luster as the Lord himself comes in and through this as the brilliant light to enlighten all the world.

May the living Lord lift up his gracious countenance over us and grant his divine word to us so that we may gladly do his bidding even if some of us may have forgotten this calling to proclaim his word as faithful witnesses and bowing down before him in true faith, love and fear, adhering our eyes and senses only to his lucid words until he comes again in glory! (Translation of a devotion by Pastor Wilhelm Löhe from the “Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!” edited by A. Schuster and published by the Freimund-Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949 )

Let us pray: “O Lord Jesus, shine your light over us that we may live in your light and that enlightened by your grace and truth our quest may find its goal in you, our search reach rest in your clarity, our hearts recline in the peace of your grace and forgiveness. By this your light enlighten also the confusion, trouble, the unresolved, weirdness and darkness of our hearts and minds. Grant us this day so much grace and peace that we may have enough. Your name be praised o Jesus! Amen” (Translation of a prayer by A. Hermann)

Dein Wort, o Herr, laß allweg sein die Leuchte unsern Füßen; erhalt es bei uns klar und rein; hilf, daß wir draus genießen Kraft, Rat und Trost in aller Not, daß wir im Leben und im Tod beständig darauf trauen.

Gott Vater, laß zu deiner Ehr dein Wort sich weit ausbreiten. Hilf, Jesu, daß uns deine Lehr erleuchten mög und leiten. O Heilger Geist, dein göttlich Wort laß in uns wirken fort und fort Glaub, Lieb, Geduld und Hoffnung.

(David Denicke 1603-1680)