Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:16 NIV)

The holy Apostle views the days as evil and therefore they offer little opportunity to do good. The circumstances in our daily life make a holy and sanctified lifestyle more and more challenging. Yet that is the very reason he admonishes the Christians in Ephesus to make the most of every opportunity to do good. He knows and is very confident about this, that the Lord grants enough and surplus opportunities to his saints to practice good and to do good works of love and mercy. That is why the Christians should faithfully watch and pray, so that they will be alert and ready when the suitable opportunity presents itself to do good. Whoever recognizes such a suitable occasion and window of opportunity, but does not make use of it, does not make the most of such critical options. Even today is evil. People go out of their way to make it difficult for us to live faithfully according to our Christian hope. They put obstacles in our way and try to hinder and even stop good progress in the work of the Churches mission amongst all people and on all continents. Many people – even so-called Christians – have accommodated themselves in these bad times, they have established their homes in them and they themselves have become like the times, situations and contexts themselves. Therefore we have to be very careful that we don’t follow the same trend. Rather we should continue along the right way even if it means moving in the smaller crowd – and sometimes even alone. We need to make the most of all opportunities – not opportunistically, but rather faithfully to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. Watch out that you don’t turn evil, but remain in the good of your Lord. Remain faithful, keep up the hope and practice love and good works! Be as crafty as the snakes, but without evil like the doves. Use every opportunity for good, but not for evil. Remember the Lord’s judgment over the fruitless fig tree, which didn’t bring forth fruit at his time and as he desired?

Lord God, heavenly Father, you give good will, best advice and perfect works. Grant in your goodness peace to your people so that our hearts would cling to your commandments and we make best use of every opportunity for good and promoting what is beneficial in your eyes. Let us lead our days in peace and quietness even in the face of our enemies. We ask this in Jesus Christ’s name, your Son our Lord. Amen.

God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, gave my full redemption price. Do I need earth’s treasures many?  I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free, Lasting to eternity!

Sin, disturb my soul no longer: I am baptized into Christ! I have comfort even stronger: Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.

Should a guilty conscience seize me, since my baptism did release me In a dear forgiving flood, sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood?

Satan, hear this proclamation: I am baptized into Christ! Drop your ugly accusation; I am not so soon enticed. Now that to the font I’ve traveled, all your might has come unraveled, And, against your tyranny, God, my Lord, unites with me!

Death, you cannot end my gladness: I am baptized into Christ! When I die, I leave all sadness to inherit paradise!

Though I lie in dust and ashes faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine to make life immortal mine.

There is nothing worth comparing to this lifelong comfort sure! Open-eyed my grave is staring: Even there I’ll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its raising, still my soul continues praising: I am baptized into Christ; I’m a child of paradise! (Erdmann Neumeister 1671-1756 tr Robert E. Voelker 1957)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after the twentieth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 356 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.