Day by Day with Martin Luther

Read: Nehemiah 4:15-23 3rd John 1-15

“Christian Friends”

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
[Matthew 18:20]

Even if one’s heart is well grounded by the Holy Spirit, it remains a great advantage to have a brother with whom we can converse about our faith and from whom one can hear words of comfort … I for my part consider the loss of my possessions far less important than the loss of a good friend. When Christ was wrestling with the temptation in garden [Matthew 26:37], we see Him seeking comfort among three of His disciples. When Paul [Acts 28:15] saw the brethren coming to meet him, he took courage from the sight and expressed comfort. Loneliness distresses a person who is solitary and deprived of closes friends. He can exert himself and struggle against it, but he will not overcome it without great difficulty. Everything is less burdensome if you have a brother with you; for then the promise applies from Matthew 18:20 – “for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Therefore, solitude should be shunned, and the companionship of familiar people sought, especially in peril.