June 3

In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith, which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6.

How closely faith and its fruit, or the state of grace in Christ and our life here on earth, are connected, our Catechism very appropriately indicates by saying that the true believers not only are in the kingdom of Christ, but that they live under Him and serve Him. Thus also the apostle says that in the sight of Christ nothing has any worth except faith, the faith which produces love. Everything else, be it ever so great, the grandest works of man, even faith and Christian knowledge, all avails nothing when love is lacking.

We all know the many passages of Scripture that treat of love, and yet, how seldom do we find this sweet and precious fruit of faith even among Christians! How averse to love are we all by nature! Is not every man a born egoist? And even if we are born again and made new creatures, if the inner man has been created in us, does not the outer man continually seek to gain the upper hand? Does not our inborn natural selfishness continually come to the surface and play false with us? How necessary, therefore, that we keep a watchful eye upon the tree of faith and see that it produces the fruit of love! And where this true love lives and reigns in the heart, an outward true godliness in word and deed will surely follow. It may also be said of love what Luther says of faith in his preface to the Epistle to the Romans: "It is a living, busy, working, mighty thing, so that it is impossible that it should not always do some good. It does not ask whether good works will have to be done; but before the question is put, it has done them and is continually doing them."

How necessary that we continually grow in love just as well as in faith! Let us see that our love be more general, more universal! Let us learn from Christ how to love!

Prayer.

O faithful Savior Jesus Christ, how great was Thy love toward us poor sinners! Let us take Thy love for a pattern; teach us how to love; let us follow Thy steps; let us be Thy true disciples in faith and in love. O Lord Jesus, be gracious and merciful to us and let not Thy bitter and painful sufferings and death be in vain for us. Grant us grace that we may be mindful of this all our

days, heartily love and thank Thee for it, and by the contemplation of Thy pain and crucifixion crucify and mortify all fleshly lusts and evil desires and love our neighbor as ourselves. Amen.

But the fruits must not be missing, Love thy neighbor without ceasing; That true love let him receive Which here to thee thy God doth give.