«He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake» (Psalm 23:3).
ON MONDAY, April 5, 1943, Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was detained by the Gestapo. He remained in jail until his execution on April 9, 1945. During his two years in prison, Bonhoeffer gave Bible studies, ministered to his prison mates, performed weddings, taught prisoners to pray, and even wrote poems. One of them is titled «Sorrow and Joy.» It’s a poem about the sweetness there is in bitter experiences. He also wrote many letters—to his parents, his girlfriend, his friends … Today I’d like us to reflect on a portion of his letter titled «Who stands his ground?»
In the face of ever-growing perversity, injustice, and deceit in a society that flattered wickedness and rejected good, Bonhoeffer wondered, «Who stands his ground?» And then replied, «Only the man whose ultimate criterion is not in his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all these things when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and exclusive allegiance to God. The responsible man seeks to make his whole life a response to the question and call of God.»* In other words: only those who are able to set aside their own interests and focus their lives on following God’s call will stand their ground.
We are told of end-time believers that «these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes» (Revelation 14:4). That «following» often implies giving up what we consider to be valuable to us. For instance, Moses «refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin» (Hebrews 11:24, 25); and Christ «gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave» (Philippians 2:7, NLT). The Christian life is not about imposing our opinions, but about forfeiting our desires so those of the Lord may prevail.
I know that following that calling might awaken doubts and fear within us, so I invite you to trust that the Lord will «restore [our] soul. He will lead [us] in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake» (Psalm 23:3).
The God who comforted Bonhoeffer as he was being led to his execution will also comfort us today if we decide to heed the divine calling.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Angelica Cuate
