Opening Prayer
Lord, teach us to understand what You now will say to us. Amen.
Text: John 16:16–22
“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.” Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
Devotion
“A little while, and again a little while,” our Gospel repeats these words often, but finally it speaks about an endless joy. Little whiles pass quickly. Such is our life here. But during the swift-changing sorrows and joys of this earthly life, for Jesus’ disciples a stream of joy flows forth, which becomes ever greater and richer and never stops into eternity. — “A little while, and you will not see Me.” This sounds strange and harsh to them. In the first age of the disciple’s life one doesn’t know anything greater than walking joyfully and wonderingly with the Lord. He speaks to us about tribulations, but we do not understand it and do not hear with our ears. This cannot last. The flesh is not put to death with pure and simple joy. Hard times must come, or else how are we to become like Jesus? He goes away from us and we sit again in loneliness and sorrow. You blame yourself for your inattention and your disobedience, and you certainly have reason to do so. The soul is lethargic and devotion cold. Drowsiness and darkness cover the heart. Yet that should not happen, but so it often goes with Jesus’ disciples. Should the lively beginning receive this anxious end?
God be praised, this is not the end! This is only the second “little while.” All the same, now keep together with the brethren, keep meditating on the Word, and obey it. I encourage you to do this, I know you want to do this, but also that you are tempted to give up hope and to leave the Jerusalem of disappointment, as the Church and the fellowship now appears to you. Stay in the assembly of the brethren around God’s Word, and the Lord will come and show Himself to you again, but in a new way, for He died and is risen. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The first emotional joy is gone, but you learn to believe the Lord’s presence and experience this, that He gives you inner peace and joy and victory over sin. You hold on to the Unseen, as if you saw Him and did not ask to see Him, because God wants us here to walk in faith, but then you see Him with the eyes of faith, and your sorrow is turned to joy. — Do not think that you shall no longer experience spiritual birth pangs. Seven times in our Gospel the Lord repeats the words: “A little while.” But in what you will go through, all together it is still only “a little while,” soon you shall see the Lord Jesus face to face in eternal glory. “You will be sorrowful and weep and lament,” the Lord says to His disciples. It is serious and difficult, yet it is clear, for He adds: “your sorrow will be turned into joy.” Then on the other hand He says: “the world will rejoice.” Such is the terrible darkness of death’s night, for their joy lasts a little while and becomes eternal weeping.
“Lord, my God, I long for the blessed joy of peace, I cry out for the peace which Your children enjoy, whom You soothe in the light of comfort. If You give me peace, if You pour holy joy into my heart, then the soul of Your servant shall be filled with singing and with warm devotion shall praise Your name! But if You withhold Yourself, as You sometimes do, then Your servant is too weak to walk in Your way, then he may sink to the knees and beat his breast, — for it is not in his heart as yesterday and before, when Your light streamed over his head and he was shielded under the shadow of Your wings against all temptations which came against him. – It is a grace You give Your friend that for the sake of Your love he may suffer and be troubled in the world, as often and by whomever You finally allow it to happen. Nothing happens on earth without Your providence, without Your foreknowledge. It is like a gift to me that You humble me, so that I can know Your righteous judgments and cast away all the pride of heart and arrogant delusions” (Thomas à Kempis).
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, let Your Spirit keep us in faith and explain to our spirit that it is a little while we do not see You. Make us glad in hope, patient in tribulation, watchful in prayers. Give us steadfastness, and make us partakers of Your eternal joy. Amen (Rom 12:12).
Hymn
My Jesus, Thou my soul’s best Friend,
My Life, my Sun, my Gladness!
Wilt Thou now leave me to the end
In all my care and sadness?
O wilt Thou make me lonely be
On earth so full of sorrow,
Trouble borrow;
If Thee I do not see,
How can I bear till morrow?
Shall from my hardship’s wintry way
Be springtime ne’er returning?
And by the beams of heav’nly day
My tears to joy be turning?
Shall not a drop of honey sweet
Into my cup be falling
To my galling
The honey that is meet
For children of God’s choosing?
My soul, the cross that thou must bear
Is heav’n beyond all measure;
To Jesus’ words now do give ear
And learn His gracious pleasure;
“A little while” He says to thee,
And short shall be thy sorrow
Till the morrow;
In heaven thou shalt see
His wondrous joy forever.
Kingo: Min Jesu, du min Sjæles Trøst L 379:1-3 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Ich ruf zu dir (ELH 255); alternate hymn: If Thy beloved Son, O God ELH 374