Therefore I urge you to imitate me. (1Co 4:16 NIV)  It is a stain on our protestant congregations otherwise impressive slate that they generally choose their examples from too lowly spheres. Many protestants have the idea that they are just a bit too plain for holiness and sainthood and they often make that impression on others too. Is this wrong inclination not sinful even and should we not rather contemplate seriously where we should aspire to follow more challenging models in a meaningful, blessed and sanctified Christian life? No doubt, a Christian needs demanding examples, that he can strive to emulate. It depends on these examples whether this striving will serve to elevate or just stagnate or even deflate the desired sanctification and edification and growth in Christian faith, hope and love. It might sound feasible to take the Lord himself as only example, but this claim often turns out to be just an empty phrase and might even reflect an unreal relationship to the living Lord. Nobody will deny that following Jesus is a biblical concept, but perhaps too few have contemplated whether this is truly desirable and doable to follow Jesus in all aspects and what it actually means to follow Jesus. If a person genuinely wants to follow Jesus and if we truly want to imitate our Lord, then it should be in self-denial and humility. However it might be that quite rapidly we become truly grateful for somewhat lesser models like for instance that of the apostle St. Paul, who presents a model that is challenging enough for sure. In the letter to the Corinthians he is described as a true example to follow and we soon recognise our relative poverty in comparison with him. This should motivate us to strive even more and consistently to follow his shining example.

May we have eyes to see this model character of his live, ears to listen to his motivating admonitions, endurance and strength not to receive God’s grace in vain.  May repentance thrive in us, righteousness flourish in our midst and the imitation of St. Paul ripen as a timely fruit of the tremendous work of the apostle amongst us in this our time and generation.

O Lord, all stars shine just for you in the heavens above. Compared with your brightness they are put pale and frail. All glory be to you o Lord . The fellowship of the saints leads us on to worship you there and follow your directions here. Help us towards this by the true teaching and living example of your holy apostles St. Paul, who focused his eyes, heart and being on you primarily and lived first and foremost in expectation of your kingdom. Grant that we follow his example on the way to our true home and finally reach our heavenly abode that you have prepared in your grace and goodness for us and our eternal salvation +

Give to your Church the spirit of faithful witness, which moved your apostles and prophets of old, to proclaim your saving cross and justifying sacrifice to the world, which despises and even persecutes these blessed messengers. Let us confess the truth, that liberated us and made us rejoice; grant that we can’t let this gospel be, but rather carry it and us to victory. (Karl J.P.Spitta 1801-1859. The translation of the hymn is rather literal, but not poetical. The preceding devotion is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after the Sunday Invocavit (First Sunday in Lent) as found on Pg. 119 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and puplished in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.