Sparse thoughts, for I have not been able to follow much of it. Still, I've talked to some folks who were down at the way the elections turned out. Me? I'm not down. We prayed that God's good and gracious will be done. We must trust that it was done, for God does not despise His children's prayers. And the importance of continuing in prayer for the Synod and her leadership remains an ongoing task for all of us who live our lives within her.
The Rule of St. Polycarp notes that what afflicts our Church is not solved by political solutions. Never has been or will be. My dear brother, Latif Gaba, noted the apparent paucity of worship services at the Convention and noted that it spoke volumes about who we have become. It does indeed. We need to repent and return to the confidence of a Luther, who could say: "While Nicholas [Amsdorf] and I drank Wittenberg beer, the Word of God went out and did this thing."
The Word of God is still more than capable of "doing this thing" - this renewing of the Church. Let us pray that it may be so among us, and in all humility learn to accept God's will and not sinfully grumble. Last time I checked, He was still on the throne of the universe - and still governing all things for the wellbeing of His holy Church. Glory to Him forever!
8 comments:
Thanks. It's easy to sink in the pit of self pity and bemoan the fact that MY will was not done at convention. Though Gospel, you still gave me a kick where I, and I'm sure many needed it.
Josh R.
I feel better after Monday - there was a good spirit of coridality. . . and our president is being fair and not letting Confessional guys get run over. Now, if that fairness continues after convention, this could be a good thing. But - all in all, I think things are going fairly. . . nicely. . . even as many elections didn't go the way I wanted them to.
Nicely written, William. While we Lutherans do emulate Luther in his love of beer, we fall far short in his trust of the Word.
Well done. Your timely words reveal the heart of a servant of God, a servant of His Word, and a servant of His people.
Thank you.
Rich S
Thanks for the update, Eric, and for the kind words, all of you.
"Give Thy Church,
Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity.
O Lord, have mercy!"
Look, I wish I could share your piety about this, but I don't. It is really nothing but a word game. I'm down here on the convention floor each day, doing my duty, making the good confession, but it is really nothing more than a game. Again, I wish I was as pious as you.
Paul,
Hey, that's the first time I've EVER been told that I have piety. I don't know know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Must come of working on Starck for so long! ;)
About Synod, give it a few week's perspective. It's hard to believe anything possible after a Synodical convention - I remember well the experience (and that was at a "good" convention). I walked away utterly disgusted and angered and thought what a propoganda show I'd been exposed to for a week, what a farce.
I suspect if we could see the whole situation it would be darker than we feared and brighter and more hopeful than we dared to dream. The darkness comes from the mess that we can make as sinful human beings, our pride and party spirit. But the brightness comes from the precious Word which can call to being things that are not!
I hope you get some decent time off when you get home, my friend. Oh, and some of your members stopped in for worship with us last Sunday. I found out that I'd been pronouncing your name wrong for years now. I'd been saying B (long a) sel. They said B (long i) sel. My apologies!!!
We've all got to kepp in mind, one of the marks of Church polity is not infallibility.
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