Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. (Jam 1:23-25 NIV)

That hearer of the word, who does not do what it says, did not hear as he should have heard. That is why he did not become a doer of the word. If you look into a mirror once you will receive but a fleeting memory of your image. However if you do this regularly and for some while then you will get to know your facial expression and you will remember it too. Thus it is with the word of God and his most holy gospel as well. If you look at it once only you will not get a lasting impression of the image of our Lord Jesus Christ depicted throughout Holy Scripture as its core and substance. His vicarious love and salvation will remain but a passing fancy. Therefore look and listen carefully and continually. You’ll see that the image of our most beloved Jesus Christ will become dearer and more and more adorable. It will fill you with more and more love and worship, which will again strengthen you with peace and joy. Motivated by this efficacious image you will grow in obedience to God’s will and hold him more and more precious and dear.

Beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! You demand that we be not just listeners, but do what we hear too. Continue to show us, how best we can follow your precepts and do your holy will. Prepare our hearts that even difficult tasks will not put us off. Let us always remember your way here on earth and how you were obedient till the very end even unto the cross and let us continue to consider and ponder all you did for us and our salvation in your eternal kingdom. Amen.  (Churchbook of Würtenberg 1931)

Open ears and heart that we grasp your word in love and sorrow, in joy and pain never neglect it, so that we are not just listeners, but doers of your word bringing fruit a hundredfold. (David Denicke, 1603-1680)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday following the fifth Sunday after Easter: Rogate. It is found on Pg. 195 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.