Invitation into the inward to the blessedness of the love-presence of God, together with a hearty sigh.

What this letter is. A January letter of the 17th, 1758, from Mülheim to Arnold Goyen at Krefeld. His little letter of the 30th of December was heartily agreeable; at the beginning of this year Tersteegen unites himself anew with him, and with the remaining known children in C. Invitation into the inward to the blessedness of the love-presence of God, together with a hearty sigh: the world is a lean pasture; inward, inward, my heart; God's work alone contents; He is always there and waits. The close is not a conventional signature but a sigh to the Word become flesh. Mülheim, the 17th of January, 1758.

The new-year union, and the invitation inward. He hears always so gladly how it goes with his dear fellow-pilgrims, and has united himself anew with the brother and the known children in C. Our love to God, our love among one another, be quickened anew by the Spirit of the love of Christ, that the whole walk may be weighty and right before God, and also in His house. It does not grow old to him, that our God and highest Good is so inmost-near to us, in Christ and through Christ. O we foolish children — whither do we run, when we do not hold ourselves turned inward with the wholeness of our heart's-devotion, love and trust? In the world it is everywhere restless, distressed, and a very lean pasture. Inward, inward, my heart! Within, with your God is peace alone and pure delight. In ourselves it is also of no use: if one will better and purify it at one end, then is weed grown again already at the other. Jesus is the spring-well of all virtues and holiness; if we then have the well, so have we also the brooklets.

God's work, and the sigh. Come then in: yield the inmost to the God who is so near and who loves us; hold much stillness to Him; let Him live and rule in us. All that is our own is of no use. God's work alone contents. We cannot give ourselves the perceptible presence of God, but can well hinder it: yet the actual essential love-presence is subject to no change. He is always there, and waits, also in the dark, also in the need, also when we are turned outward — then is He there, looks upon us, and waits, that we turn inward, that we pray to Him, that we love Him, and that we let ourselves be loved and quickened by Him. What blessedness, to have a God for a friend and so present — and what thanklessness, that we so easily forget Him, and do not remain at home. Now, dearest Jesus! Word become flesh, thou hast sunk thyself into our miserable humanity; sink thyself also inseparably into our miserable heart, that we may become true children of God, as thou art become a true human-child, and it may also be said of us: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. Amen, Jesus. Mülheim, the 17th of January, 1758.

A few words and echoes.

• invitation into the inward. Einladung ins Innere — not a lesson this time: a call to come in to the blessedness of the love-presence of God.
• little letter of the 30th of December. heartily agreeable; at the new year he unites himself anew with the brother and the known children in C.
• inmost-near. innigst-nahe — in Christ and through Christ our God and highest Good is so near in the inmost.
• lean pasture. the world is everywhere restless, distressed, and a very lean pasture.
• inward, inward, my heart. within, with your God, is peace alone.
• the spring-well and the brooklets. Jesus is the well of all virtues; if we have the well, we have the brooklets also.
• God's work alone contents. all that is our own is of no use; we cannot give ourselves His perceptible presence, but can well hinder it.
• He is always there and waits. also in the dark, also when we are turned outward; then is He there. (Ex. 33:11)
• Word become flesh. the sigh: sink Thyself inseparably into our miserable heart. (John 1:14)
• Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. that it may also be said of us. (Rev. 21:3)
• that we faint not in the way. come then in with me, my dear fellow-pilgrims. (Matt. 15:32)
• Mülheim. the 17th of January, 1758.