07-23-2004, 09:14 AM
I remember growing up as a boy with a heart condition, never being able to run far, never being able to be as active as my brothers, and yet always trying to push myself further and further. Going to church on Sundays I remember hearing from or pastor that we are weak but God is strong, we would sing songs like Take it to the Lord in Prayer or What a Friend we have in Jesus, or my favorite – A Mighty Fortress is our God. We would be regaled with stories of Martin Luther and his amazing faith and we would be told that as Christians, as heirs to God’s Great Word we are never given more then we could handle, that through our trials we are given God is with us and He gives us strength.
Somehow if men like Luther or Melanchton, Walther or Chemnitz – men who were nothing too special but where transformed by the power of God to become that which they needed to be could do it then God could take me, transform me, mold me. If Saul of Tarsus could be converted on the Road to Damascus to be the great man of faith St. Paul had become, if St. Stephen could be made strong in his faith and by his faith to stand up for Christ as he did that tragic day we remember as the Feast of St. Stephen, if God could take a sinner like St. Augustine and mold him into one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church, then he could reshape someone lesser then I into a man greater then who I am. For though the Chief of Sinners though I be, I am washed clean by the blood of the lamb to be made, whole, be regenerated, be cleansed in a way only Christ’s power can.
Somehow I went on to play baseball and football, don’t ask me how but I pushed myself and I know that it was God giving me a shot at the things I always wanted to do, to give me a chance to do them. Ever since I had been old enough to dream I wanted to be a baseball player, I would watch the games when my parents were out of the room, as they wouldn’t let me if they were there and I would watch and wish that could be me. Some may look at it like a cruel joke, one season to do that which I always wanted before it was taken but I remember it as if it was never taken from me and I love the time I could have spent.
I have enough bitterness about other things to fill a book but on this I think I will always be grateful for what was and what had been and what may never be.
I never thought I would but I wanted to be a pastor, when hopes of being a baseball star fell thorough I was to be a lawyer – I loved constitutional law and indulged in it as much as I did in history. Somehow that took me to far away lands like fantasy and adventure books carried others off. And I guess I needed at times be carried off to forget my own mortality. The death of two of my aunts, two of my uncles, my biological father and my favorite Uncle – Uncle Marvin – all between the ages of 23 and 42. A sterling testimony to the preciousness of every life giving breath we do take.
Perhaps at times I thought we in our family were not meant to survive and yet alone we found that we were survivors but by the grace of God we were conquerors of worlds.
I went off to a small Lutheran College in Wisconsin and fell in love with my faith – as well as the cheese they make in the state. I went off to do a vicarage and found myself in the middle of a religious storm that would lead me to leave my Synod and join another.
The details seem to become unimportant now and this is not about my personal testimony though at times my faith did take a beating, I wish at times I could always proclaim a faith as strong as Job in the middle of tragedy and hurt but I can not always. I am a weak man of a weak heart and my faith, my religion and my dedication has at times suffered for the person I was. And yet, even now I turn back t the Cross as my comfort and there before me is, as she always has been, my Redeemer so that I can see him and proclaim as Job did that “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27).
As Lutherans we turn to the Cross and face our Saviors greatest achievement, to bring a power miserable sinner like me to the cross. As the old hymn says “Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me; Died that I might live on high, Died that I might never die; As the branch is to the vine, I am His, and He is mine.”
Throughout history we have fought for our faith, for one simple commandment “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Those who know this rule have a sacred trust, a sacred being to spread to them the love of our Redeemer, and the gospel truth that he had taught us. To show that though we have been lost in sin in the wretched nature as poor and miserable sinners we are washed as white as snow. People have held this trust so sacred, this belief so highly that they lived by it and they even died for it that others may know the truth and the truth shall set them free.
As Lutherans, as Christians it is ours to suffer for our faith, to take on the world as warriors for the right, to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
We are but a small part of the people of God, the chosen to whom salvation will be given, as Lutherans we are not so arrogant as to believe that we will be alone in the Kingdom of God. Others, though not agreeing on doctrine have stood as true Christians by faith alone and have struggled for that Holy and sacred faith – Orthodox, Calvinist, Catholic Anglican and others – in the faith that “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” We fight on for what we know is right, orthodox and just because we are Christians and we are called by the Great Commission to “Go forth unto all nations teaching them the doctrine which ye have learned.”
Our faith is to precious to give up the fight in order that might find internal peace. We fight for what is right, not what is political expedient and that is how it will remain. As Luther did once and in the faith of our Fathers we proclaim that “Here we stand, we can do no other, God have mercy on us.”
Somehow if men like Luther or Melanchton, Walther or Chemnitz – men who were nothing too special but where transformed by the power of God to become that which they needed to be could do it then God could take me, transform me, mold me. If Saul of Tarsus could be converted on the Road to Damascus to be the great man of faith St. Paul had become, if St. Stephen could be made strong in his faith and by his faith to stand up for Christ as he did that tragic day we remember as the Feast of St. Stephen, if God could take a sinner like St. Augustine and mold him into one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church, then he could reshape someone lesser then I into a man greater then who I am. For though the Chief of Sinners though I be, I am washed clean by the blood of the lamb to be made, whole, be regenerated, be cleansed in a way only Christ’s power can.
Somehow I went on to play baseball and football, don’t ask me how but I pushed myself and I know that it was God giving me a shot at the things I always wanted to do, to give me a chance to do them. Ever since I had been old enough to dream I wanted to be a baseball player, I would watch the games when my parents were out of the room, as they wouldn’t let me if they were there and I would watch and wish that could be me. Some may look at it like a cruel joke, one season to do that which I always wanted before it was taken but I remember it as if it was never taken from me and I love the time I could have spent.
I have enough bitterness about other things to fill a book but on this I think I will always be grateful for what was and what had been and what may never be.
I never thought I would but I wanted to be a pastor, when hopes of being a baseball star fell thorough I was to be a lawyer – I loved constitutional law and indulged in it as much as I did in history. Somehow that took me to far away lands like fantasy and adventure books carried others off. And I guess I needed at times be carried off to forget my own mortality. The death of two of my aunts, two of my uncles, my biological father and my favorite Uncle – Uncle Marvin – all between the ages of 23 and 42. A sterling testimony to the preciousness of every life giving breath we do take.
Perhaps at times I thought we in our family were not meant to survive and yet alone we found that we were survivors but by the grace of God we were conquerors of worlds.
I went off to a small Lutheran College in Wisconsin and fell in love with my faith – as well as the cheese they make in the state. I went off to do a vicarage and found myself in the middle of a religious storm that would lead me to leave my Synod and join another.
The details seem to become unimportant now and this is not about my personal testimony though at times my faith did take a beating, I wish at times I could always proclaim a faith as strong as Job in the middle of tragedy and hurt but I can not always. I am a weak man of a weak heart and my faith, my religion and my dedication has at times suffered for the person I was. And yet, even now I turn back t the Cross as my comfort and there before me is, as she always has been, my Redeemer so that I can see him and proclaim as Job did that “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27).
As Lutherans we turn to the Cross and face our Saviors greatest achievement, to bring a power miserable sinner like me to the cross. As the old hymn says “Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me; Died that I might live on high, Died that I might never die; As the branch is to the vine, I am His, and He is mine.”
Throughout history we have fought for our faith, for one simple commandment “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Those who know this rule have a sacred trust, a sacred being to spread to them the love of our Redeemer, and the gospel truth that he had taught us. To show that though we have been lost in sin in the wretched nature as poor and miserable sinners we are washed as white as snow. People have held this trust so sacred, this belief so highly that they lived by it and they even died for it that others may know the truth and the truth shall set them free.
As Lutherans, as Christians it is ours to suffer for our faith, to take on the world as warriors for the right, to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
We are but a small part of the people of God, the chosen to whom salvation will be given, as Lutherans we are not so arrogant as to believe that we will be alone in the Kingdom of God. Others, though not agreeing on doctrine have stood as true Christians by faith alone and have struggled for that Holy and sacred faith – Orthodox, Calvinist, Catholic Anglican and others – in the faith that “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” We fight on for what we know is right, orthodox and just because we are Christians and we are called by the Great Commission to “Go forth unto all nations teaching them the doctrine which ye have learned.”
Our faith is to precious to give up the fight in order that might find internal peace. We fight for what is right, not what is political expedient and that is how it will remain. As Luther did once and in the faith of our Fathers we proclaim that “Here we stand, we can do no other, God have mercy on us.”