Saturday, April 28, 2018
Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us ...
CONFIDENCE IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH-LIFE, OR ... DEALING WITH DEPRESSION (5)
A few years back a pastor put together a pamphlet against stress or distress in the Christian life. A chapter on Christian confidence concludes as follows: "'He knows the way that I take,' breathed Job, in whose hearts the image of the suffering Redeemer was imprinted, 'and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as pure gold' (Job 23:10). Rejoicing in God who Himself has ended the Great Conflict…by declaring us righteous in the death and resurrection of Christ, we may be confident that in all He freely gives us along the way, whether ‘pleasure’ or ‘hardship,’ no one can put us down, nothing can drive us from His all-encompassing love for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord!"
When the subject of depression is under discussion, pastors, as shepherds of souls under Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will surely stress the importance of staying close to the Means of Grace, the gospel in Word and Sacrament. As Jesus invites, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light…" (Matthew 11:28ff).
The pastor who wrote the pamphlet mentioned above speaks of how God's children need to "inhale" the words and promises of our God before they will be able to "exhale" a confident expression of faith. Truly, the key to contentment in the Christian faith-life is faithful reading and study of the Word of God together with faithful participation in the Lord's Supper. It has ever been true that through those Means the Holy Spirit works confident faith in the heart.
By Your good counsel lead me, O Son of God, my Stay;
In each perplexing trial Help me, O Lord, I pray.
My hour of sorrow shorten, Support my fainting heart,
From ev'ry cross deliver, The crown of life impart.
Lord, hide my soul securely Deep in Your wounded side;
From ev'ry danger shield me And to Your glory guide.
He has been truly blessed Who reaches heav'n above,
He has found perfect healing Who rests upon Your love.
(Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, 535:2, 4)
