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A Fire of Devotion before God

"Luther's piety may be likened to a fire, a fire of devotion before God.  If coal be our symbol of burden and responsibility, then huge loads were deposited on that fire.  One might think such loads would extinguish the fire, but in Luther's case, the opposite was true--the fire of piety only came to burn more heatedly and brightly.  A life of devotion explains his accomplishments.  We can be sure that Luther laid his preaching commitments, writings, burdens, problems, gladnesses, and griefs before God Triune during that prime time of communion."  Erroll Hulse in The Preacher and Preaching, The Preacher and Piety, page 65.

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