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← Geistliche Erquickstunden (Spiritual Hours of Refreshment)/Book 1 · Geistliche Erquickstunden oder dreihundert Haus- und Tischandachten
Chapter 3Erquickstunden.1.3

Von der Christen Freude. Immer fröhlich (2 Cor. 6, 10.)

The Creed of Constant Joy

The author establishes that his fundamental identity is rooted in joy, regardless of external circumstances like sickness.

That is my creed.✦1 Why do you ask about that? Go ahead and grieve and eat your heart out; I won't. If the devil wants to make me lose heart, I stand up to him and say: Get out of here, devil—always joyful is my creed.✦2 Don't you know that? If I'm sick, I'm not troubled: Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was sick too. John 11:3. Love has its strokes.3

God's Rod and Our Response

Affliction and sickness are presented as divine discipline and opportunities for deeper trust in God's care.

The harder they're pressed on, the more healing they are.4 God strikes us with the rod, but he delivers us from hell. Prov.✦5 23:14. I've been healthy for so many years—why shouldn't I also be sick for a few weeks, for God's honor?6 A change is good. We've received the good from God—shouldn't we accept the bad as well?✦ Job 2:10.✦ Thank God, the soul is healthy. God has the tenderest care for my sick body.7 Parents care most for their little children when they are sick. God refreshes me on my sickbed and helps me out of all my sickness. Ps. 41:4. What more could I want? If I'm slandered, I won't be sad about it. Didn't my Jesus also have to hear that he was a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners? Matt.

Slander and the Imitation of Christ

The author finds comfort in the face of public reproach by identifying with the suffering of Christ and the prophets.

11:19.✦ I cry out to God Most High, who sends help from heaven and delivers me from the disgrace of the one who would cast me down. Ps.✦8 57:3.✦ My conscience doesn't accuse me—and that outweighs a thousand witnesses. Should it grieve me that people speak evil of me, when I haven't done anything wrong? Oh no—rather, it should make me glad. If my slanderer wrote a book against me, I would carry it on my shoulders and bind it to myself like a crown. Job 31:35.✦ I know well what my Jesus says: Blessed are you when people insult you for my sake and say all kinds of evil against you, and lie when they do it.✦ Be glad and take heart; you will be well rewarded in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matt. 5:11.9 Does common hardship and affliction fall on me?10 Undaunted. The member can't fare better than the body. If everyone on the ship is going down, why would I be the only one to stay afloat? Let those who have no faith mourn; I'm sure that the Keeper of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers. Ps. 121:2.✦11 Yet there's still a God in the blue heaven who thinks of me and cares for me.12

Detachment and True Wealth

The loss of worldly goods and relationships is reframed as a liberation that allows the soul to unite more closely with God.

If I've earned such suffering by my sins, I'll do penance and seek grace. The God who has promised grace and forgiveness to all repentant sinners won't cast me out either, poor sinner that I am. If I lose my friends, my child, and my wife, I still won't lose my courage. God has given, and God has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised! Job 1:21. Yet God is still left to me. Dying is only a parting, not a loss. What I loved, Jesus loved too. It was more closely joined to Him than to me. I must gladly grant this to my Jesus and not begrudge my friend heaven. If I lose what's mine? Still, take heart. My possessions are not my God. What am I saying—'my possessions'? If it had been a true good, it could not have been lost. It was not mine after all, but my God's. Why should it bother me to give back what was only lent to me? After all, I'm not lacking anything. I thank God for what I have, and I've already forgotten what I used to have. With food and clothing I'm content. 1 Tim. 6:8. Whoever is content with enough is rich enough. A great burden has been lifted from me, so I can climb toward heaven all the more nimbly. How well I am! Many cornfields have been ruined by sowing too thick, and many fine branches have broken under the weight of too much fruit. I still remember my Savior's words well: "How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:26).✦ 10:26. The camel's hump is gone; now I can crawl through the eye of the needle all the more easily.✦13 The goods are gone, the worry is gone, the contempt is gone; I'm still just as cheerful as I was before.14 I'll tell you in a few words what I mean: My heart is so firmly united with God that nothing grieves me except only N.B.15 what can anger God. No. 116

Read the original Latin

Ist mein Symbolum. Was fragst du darnach? Traure du und friß immerhin dein Herz weg, ich thu es nicht. Will mich der Teufel verzagt machen, ich biete ihm den Kopf und spreche: Packe dich Teufel, immer fröhlich ist mein Symbolum. Weißt du das nicht? Bin ich krank, unbetrübt: Lazarus, den Jesus lieb hatte, war auch krank Joh. 11, 3. Die Liebe hat ihre Streiche.

Je härter sie angedrückt werden, je heilsamer sind sie. Gott hout uns mit der Ruthe, aber er errettet uns von der Hölle Spr. 23, 14. So viel Jahr bin ich gesund gewesen, warum sollte ich nicht Gott zu Ehren auch ein par Wochen krank sein? Abwechslung ist gut. Haben wir das gute empfangen von Gott, und sollten das böse nicht auch annehmen? Hiob 2, 10. Die Seele ist Gottlob gesund.

Auf meinen franken Leib hat Gott die allerzarteste Aussicht. Für kranke Kindlein sorgen die Eltern am meisten. Gott erquickt mich auf meinem Siechbette und hilft mir von aller meiner Krankheit Pf. 41, 4. Was will ich mehr? Werd ich verunglimpft, darum nicht traurig. Mußte nicht mein Jesus auch hören, daß er wäre ein Weinsäufer, ein Zöllner und Sünder Gesell? Math.

11, 19. Ich ruse zu Gott dem Allerhöchsten, der sendet vom Himmel und hilft mir von der Schmach meines Versenkers Ps. 57, 3. Mein Gewissen beißt mich nicht, das geht über tausend Zeugen. Sollte mich das betrüben, daß man böses von mir redet, da ich kein böses gethan hab? Ach nein, vielmehr erfreuen. So mein Verleumder ein Buch wider mich schriebe, so wollt ichs auf meine Achseln nehmen, und mir wie eine Kron umbinden Hiob 31, 35. Ich weiß ja, was mein Jesus sagt: Selig seid ihr, wann euch die Menschen um meinet willen schmähen und reden allerhand übels wider euch, so sie daran lügen.

Seid fröhlich und getrost, es wird euch im Himmel wol belohnet werden; denn also haben sie verfolget die Propheten, die vor euch gewesen sind Math 5, 11. Ueberfällt mich allgemeine Roth und Trübsal? unverzagt. Das Glied kanns nicht besser haben als der Leib. Wenn alle die im Schiff sind, zu grund gehen, warum wollte ich allein überbleiben? Laß trauren die keinen Glauben haben, ich bin versichert daß der Hüter Israel nicht schläft noch schlummert Ps. 121, 2. Ist doch noch ein Gott im Bleiht Himmel, der an mich denkt und für mich sorgt.

Hab ich solch Leiden verdient mit meinen Sünden, so will ich Buße thun und Gnade suchen. Der Gott der allen bußfertigen Sündern Gnad und Vergebung zugesagt, wird auch mich armen Sünder nicht verstoßen. Verlier ich meine Freunde Kind und Weib, den Muth will ich doch nicht verlieren. Gott hats gegeben, Gott hats genommen; der Name des HErrn sei gelobt! Hiob 1, 21. Bleibt mir doch Gott noch. Sterben ist nur ein Scheiden, nicht ein Verlust. Das ich liebte, liebte Jesus auch.

Es war mit ihm näher vereinigt als mit mir. Ich muß es meinem Jesu gönnen, und meinem Freund den Himmel nicht misgönnen. Komm ich um das meine? noch beherzt. Mein Gut ist nicht mein Gott. Was sage ich, mein Gut? Wäre es ein wahres Gut gewesen, hätt es nicht können verloren werden. Wars doch nicht mein sondern meines Gottes.

Warum sollte mich verdrießen wieder zu geben, was mir nur geliehen ist? Leide ich doch noch keine Noth. Ich danke Gott für das was ich habe, und habe schon vergessen was ich hatte. Mit Nahrung und Kleidung bin ich zufrieden 1 Tim. 6, 8. Der ist reich genug, der sich genügen läßt. Mir ist eine große Bürde abgenommen, daß ich desto behender gen Himmel steigen kann. Wie wol ist mir!

Manch Kornfeld ist verdorben durch allzudicke Saat, manch schöner Ast zerbrochen unter der Last allzuvieler Frucht. Ich denke noch wol an die Worte meines Heilands: Wie schwerlich werden die reichen ins Reich Gottes kommen Marc. 10, 26. Der Kameel - Rücken ist weg, nun kann ich desto bequemer durch das Nadelöhrlein durchkriechen. Das Gut ist weg, die Sorg ist weg, die Verachtung ist weg; ich bin noch eins so fröhlich, als ich vor war. Ich will dirs sagen mit wenigem, was ich meine: Mein Herz ist mit Gott so fest vereinigt, daß mich nichts betrübt denn nur NB. was Gott erzürnen kann. No 1

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩2Cor.6.10 — as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
  2. ↩2Cor.6.10 — as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
  3. ↩Prov.23.14 — You, with the rod you shall strike him, and his soul from Sheol you shall deliver.
  4. ↩Job.2.10 — But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we receive good from God, and not also receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
  5. ↩Job.2.10 — But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we receive good from God, and not also receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
  6. ↩Matt.11.19 — The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
  7. ↩Ps.57.3 — I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes for me.
  8. ↩Ps.57.3 — I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes for me.
  9. ↩Job.31.35 — Oh, that someone would hear me! Here is my mark — let the Almighty answer me! And let the one who contends with me write a book.
  10. ↩Matt.5.11;Matt.5.11-Matt.5.12 — Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say every kind of evil against you falsely on my account. Matt.5.11 — Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say every kind of evil against you falsely on my account. Matt.5.12 — Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in the heavens; for in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
  11. ↩Ps.121.4 — Behold, the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
  12. ↩Mark.10.23-Mark.10.26 — And Jesus, looking around, said to his disciples, 'How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!' Mark.10.24 — And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!' Mark.10.25 — It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Mark.10.26 — And they were utterly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Then who can be saved?'
  13. ↩Mark.10.25;Matt.19.24;Luke.18.25 — It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Matt.19.24 — Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Luke.18.25 — For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩German Symbolum can mean a formal creed or a personal motto/watchword; here it functions as the speaker's standing confession (cf. s4: 'always joyful is my creed').
  2. 2 ↩'den Kopf bieten' is idiomatic resistance: to face down / defy rather than literally offer the head.
  3. 3 ↩Streiche can mean blows/strokes or tricks/pranks; in this sickbed context it points to love's hard, surprising dealings, not mere playfulness.
  4. 4 ↩"sie" continues the previous sentence's "Streiche" (love's strokes/blows): the harder love's strokes are applied, the more salutary they prove.
  5. 5 ↩Source "hout" is almost certainly early-modern/OCR for "haut" (strikes/beats); rendered from the corrected reading Gott haut uns.
  6. 6 ↩"ein par" read as "ein paar" (a few/a couple).
  7. 7 ↩Source reads franken; in context of illness and the following sentence about sick little children, the intended form is almost certainly kranken (sick/ailing). Aussicht is rendered as tender care/regard (possibly for Aufsicht, oversight).
  8. 8 ↩Early modern 'ruse' read as 'rufe' (I cry/call). 'Versenkers' rendered as the one who would cast me down/destroy me; it tracks Psalm 57:3's enemy who shames the psalmist (Luther: who would swallow/devour).
  9. 9 ↩Source cites Math 5, 11, but the wording matches Matt. 5:12 (rejoice… reward in heaven… prophets), continuing the Matt. 5:11 beatitude quoted in the previous section.
  10. 10 ↩Early modern Roth = Not (need, distress, hardship), not the color red.
  11. 11 ↩Citation fragment completing s6's Ps. Wording of s6 matches Ps. 121:4 more closely than 121:2; preserved as printed.
  12. 12 ↩Printed Bleiht is almost certainly corrupt; read as blauen (im blauen Himmel, a common German phrase for the open heavens). Translation follows that sense.
  13. 13 ↩Kameel-Rücken rendered as the camel's hump (the load on the camel's back), playing on the gospel camel-and-needle saying: with the burden of wealth removed, the speaker slips through more easily.
  14. 14 ↩Verachtung kept as contempt: in the triad with lost goods and worry, likely the scorn and status-friction that went with the estate, not a general mood of disdain.
  15. 15 ↩NB. treated as Nota Bene, an editorial flag pointing to the completion of the thought in the next sentence rather than as spoken content.
  16. 16 ↩Print reads No 1; treated as an editorial note or item number, not continuous devotional prose.

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