05 January 2011

One of the Joys of Lutheranism

is that it is so darned realistic in its assessment of the world.  It is not afraid to look at everything falling apart and admit:  Yup, it's falling apart. In the confidence of Psalm 46, we know that when everything falls apart there is a refuge and hope for the people of God that does not fail.  God has His city; and its river delights and refreshes the citizens thereof.  No, we will not fear though the earth be moved the mountains (that we thought so firm) be tossed into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and foam.  You see, the unshakable rock is this:  the Lord is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Mary's Son has become our Mighty Fortress and in the flesh that He shares with us, in the blood that blotted out our sin, we have a Rock that no earthly tumult can or will ever shake.  We can be still amidst the tumult and remember who is God:  the One who born of the Virgin, carried our sin to death, rose in victory over the grave, and lives eternally as He never ceases to pray for us as our Only Mediator, who still blesses, breaks and gives us His body and blood for our forgiveness, life, and salvation, and who WILL come again in glory as the Judge of Living and the Dead!  In such confidence, we continue to worship when all things around us are tottering, crying out:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever!  Amen.

In a world where everything is in flux, THAT is never in flux.  O come, let us worship Him!

3 comments:

Phil said...

I think it's interesting and perhaps noteworthy that in the last 500 years we've seen a lot of debate, theology, and polemic over the right relationship between faith and works (faith and love), but we never had as fierce of arguments over the relationship between faith and hope or hope and love (except perhaps to refute liberation theology).

Northwest SD Lutheran said...

This was an awesome post! I often tell people that is the great thing about Christ. He is there always when things are falling apart as He is the one who holds all things together. Praise Jesus!

BerlinerinPoet said...

Amen! Could one not also say this is one of the joys of being a believer?
This is actually what I usually end up saying when talking with fellow believers about "climate change." Pretty much whether it is happening or not, God knows what He is doing. If my faith was in this world, I'd be so lost.