«He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy» (Proverbs 28:13).
FRIENDSHIP
Several times in his life, Martin Luther went through moments in which the anguish of condemnation came up in his imagination and paralyzed him for long periods of time. He couldn’t shake off the weight of sin and didn’t know what to do about it. He prayed, meditated and struggled to be a good person. But nothing worked. They were bouts of sadness that overwhelmed the German reformer. Then, something providential happened, «When it appeared to Luther that all was lost, God raised up a friend and helper for him. The pious Staupitz opened the word of God to Luther’s mind and bade him look away from himself, cease the contemplation of infinite punishment for the violation of God’s law, and look to Jesus, his sin-pardoning Savior»—The Great Controversy, ch. 7, p. 123.
Johann von Staupitz was a religious Augustinian friar (before 1490) and Benedictine monk (1522) of a noble family. He had studied in Cologne and Leipzig (Germany) before entering the monastery of Augustinian friars in Munich, where he served as prior in 1490. He arrived in Tübingen in 1497 and obtained a Doctorate in Theology in 1500. Then, he was summoned by Prince Frederick Ill to be a founding member of the University of Saxony, established in 1502. In addition, he was the first Dean of the School of Theology and, until 1512, Religious Sciences professor in Wittenberg. This man, who possessed a brilliant mind and a generous heart, would become Luther’s best friend. When he saw Luther’s sincerity and his fervent desire to serve God, in 1507 he encouraged Luther to enter the priesthood and took him to Wittenberg. What’s more, he urged Luther to obtain a Doctorate in Divinity and preach the Word of God. He followed Luther’s academic progress and advised him on several occasions. He heard Luther’s concerns regarding salvation by faith and his opposition to Rome’s abuse. He was a fundamental influence in the reformer’s life. Later on, he protected Luther in the most decisive moments of contention with the papacy.
God has many ways of comforting and guiding His children. One of those ways is through friends. Several times, they become true messengers from Heaven who prepare the way for us to make complex, but necessary decisions.
Ask the Lord today to help you be a good influence to those around you.
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Take From: Daily Devotions for Youth 2020
«A New You»
From: Alejandro Medina Villareal
Collaborators: Gezer Noria & Misael Morillo
