23. Friday after Third Sunday in Advent.
Lord, keep us alive by thy word. Amen.
Psalm 13. To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
❦
When your soul asks, how long, O Lord? and again, how long, how long? when your heart is like a turbulent sea; when all manner of distracting thoughts and devices perplex you; when you search in vain on every hand for an escape out of your difficulties; when you cry and the Lord does not hear, but hides his face, so that it seems to you to be almost certain, that for you the light has been put out forever; — then you become like the other saints in the imitation of the Son of God, and taste something of the Long Friday. But still, the true Christians hope and wait for the Lord’s salvation. How many of the groanings which cannot be uttered do not then rise up from the depths of the soul: “O my God, hear my cry; let me again see thy face. Remember not my sins, but according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake. I am thy own, bought with a price; thou must not reject me forevermore. Save me, save me, for Jesus’ sake!” We feel our sin, and acknowledge that the Lord would be just, if he should condemn us; but how dreadful it would be! And what a sad and bitter thought it is, that the enemies of the church of God will rejoice, while the name of God will be mocked for my sake, if I fall into despair and become the prey of Satan. The cry comes, therefore, from the depths of my being: “Lord, surely thou must not, thou canst not give me up. Mine enemy shall not be exalted over me. Thou art the God of forgiveness; all my great sin is but a spark as compared with the bottomless sea of thy grace, and all my wretchedness is as nothing in comparison with thy power to deliver me.” — The day dawns; the night disappears; the morning comes; a new flood of light is shed on the glory of the grace of God; the name of Jesus becomes tenfold more beautiful; and the gospel of life and salvation in the blood of the Lamb has created a sounding-board in the heart which delights God and his angels. My adversary is thy adversary; he shall not triumph; “but I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
Lead thou us, Lord Jesus, into the fellowship of thy sufferings, and clothe us with the power of thy resurrection. Amen.*
When sorrows rise,
My refuge lies
In thy compassion tender;
Within thine arm
Can naught alarm;
Keep me from harm,
Be thou my strong defender.
I have thy word,
Christ Jesus, Lord,
Thou never wilt forsake me;
This will I plead
In time of need;
O, help with speed,
When troubles overtake me!
[TLH 353, ELH 258; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.