In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. (1Jo 4:17 NIV)

Most people just hold the doctrine of the final destruction of this world and the coming last judgment for an old fairy tale or myth of the dark and past ages. Nearly all people trust in a perpetual continuance of this visible world and a large multitude even join in the loose talk of the mockers quoted by St. Peter: “They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2Pe 3:4 NIV) Yet even in those quarters, where the doctrine of eschatology – the last things – is taught and the final judgment considered, it’s but a side-issue and doesn’t move people in this or that direction. It is true that this doctrine of the Church is so extra-ordinary and magnificent, that without a deep appreciation of God’s boundless love towards us, we can’t come to grips with this in any way. However if I rest in God’s peace even during the greatest of troubles and if in the final hours of destruction, turmoil and even my own demise he holds me in the faith that he is my joy, peace and salvation – then I truly can be quiet and commit all into his fatherly goodness and caring hands. It is God’s love, which he demonstrated towards us in his Son Jesus Christ, which he has had proclaimed to us, which has created our faith and generated our responding love, which has granted us courage and strength to draw nearer to God full of trust and childlike confidence – it is this very divine and gracious love, which will also carry me through the final throughs of death and hold me steadfast in the last judgment and even joyful before the ultimate judge. As the sinful world passes away, we belong to God still and will be saved eternally by him.

O God and Lord before it all comes to an end and we are finished here on earth and as all constructs and artifacts of our own righteousness and self-justification come tumbling down, let us experience temporal grief, shame and even doom as you deem fit for us and our salvation, but do spare us the final destruction and punishment in hell. And if you consider it good, meet and salutary that we go through poverty, destitution and deprivation becoming helpless and weak, then o Lord Jesus Christ enter in with your grace and mercy. Let your holy word shine in our lives as the morning star of deliverance and salvation proclaiming to our weary soul: “I am your help!” Let us build up our life on your grace alone! Even in death let us hope solely in your deliverance! Grant that we hear your gracious word in eternity: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world!” (Mat 25:34 NIV) Yes, o Lord Jesus Christ grant us, that we will live here in you, suffer through you and die with you so that we may finally inherit eternal life in you. Amen. (Hermann von Bezzel)

Everything dies and all earthly beings find their grave on this earth; all pleasure of this world passes and each heart finally stops beating. Our being is but temporal and will decay, the hottest flame will burn-out, tightest bondage will relent and release even as the most beautiful flower withers and falls.

Yet the mighty Lord stands beyond and calls you and me: “Trust in me and don’t loose hope. Don’t be afraid, don’t throw away your faith and don’t give up. Keep your eyes and heart fixed on me! I will hold and keep you throughout as I have written you into the book of eternal life. Nothing will pull you from my care!” (Philipp Spitta, 1801-1859)

 This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after the first Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 224 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.