Even such a hero of faith as Luther could at times forget to trust implicitly in his faithful God and His saving help. The consequence of doubt is unhappiness. The story goes of Luther's being in low spirits for a time. In vain his good wife tried to cheer him. At last she put on a widow's mourning clothes and went about the house in deepest mourning. "Who's dead?" asked Luther. "God," replied Kate. "Don't talk foolish!" retorted the great Reformer. "My dear Doctor," answered Kate, "you act so downhearted and despondent and will listen to no comfort that I naturally concluded God must be dead, and so I dressed in mourning!" Luther understood the point, laughingly embraced his good wife, and forgot his "blues."

Why should we Christians ever give way to these feelings of despondency? Is it not gloriously true what our psalm tells us about our God and Savior? Where is there a trouble from which He cannot help us - the almighty Creator of heaven and earth? And can we ever doubt His willingness to help and save when He has given us such clear promises in His infallible Word? Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the Word of our God shall never pass away. Then let us hope and trust in Him whose helping love knows no limit, with whom nothing is impossible.

[devotion text by Rev. F. W. Herzberger (1920) -
from the Family Altar - CPH (1957 edition)]
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