Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23 NIV)

We have all sinned enough. Yet nobody wants to appear contrite and penitent, never mind confessing and promising repentance, conversion and improvement. It’s as if we just want to continue in our old ways as before. Being self-righteous, going about with that swagger about ourselves, bragging and blowing our own trumpet. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not pleasant to talk like this. I would rather stroke and comfort you, but how can I if there is no contrition nor sorrow over sin, lack of love, doubt, disbelief and other great shame and vice? Proud, calloused, self-righteous sinners should not be put at ease or lulled in deceptive peace. Comfort is no laughing stock. That’s why the office of comfort has to rest for the time being and the harp praising the proxy of all sinners is hung up in the willows. Oh what a burden to have to go about the office of the ministry, which has at its core the service of mercy without being called and pressed to proclaim the holy comfort of God! It would be such a pleasure if one could talk to Jerusalem kindly, if one could spread joy and come to enjoyment oneself as stops crying as one wipes of tears and comfort and peace is brought about. Yet, it is not that time yet. Now the only hope is, that it is not night yet and still day and we can still cry out and proclaim:  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! That is our comfort. Even if it may be pitch-black looking backwards, looking forward we sense the coming light: Jesus is alive! His heart is aglow like a burning red-hot furnace with love towards us all! May he have mercy on us all and help us to repentance and conversion! We pray together with those that do and also for those, who don’t. In this prayer we are comforted and enjoy the faith that he hears us. That makes us happy ahead of the coming day of repentance.

Create in my a clean heart o God for it’s suffering from corruption and bears sin’s painful  load. Oh grant that it may be forgiven and be healed by your love to be once more as you created and intended it to be.

Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me, but cast out the evil spirit far from me. Let the latter not distract me from you, but let me stay in and with you always. Rule my heart, mind and senses with your Holy Spirit – then all is well with me living and dying.

Comfort me with your help, help and forgive my sins. Rescue me and let my soul find rest in you and your merits o Lord Jesus Christ, for that works comfort, peace and true life against sin, death and devil.

(Ludämilie Elisabeth, Gräfin zu Schwarzbach-Rudolstadt, 1640-1672. The translation of the attached hymn, which was not chosen by Löhe, but rather by A.Schuster is rather literal, but not poetical. The preceding devotion is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the Sunday Invocavit (First Sunday in Lent) as found on Pg. 123 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.