To the blessed Family of Faith:
Grace to you, and peace, from God our heavenly Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
My favorite professors at Seminary were the eccentric ones. Reed Lessing’s (apparently bottomless) energy and excitement over Hebrew was infectious. Joel Biermann’s wit and straightforward presentation were matched only by his vast knowledge base and care for his students. The depths of Gerhard Bode’s knowledge of church history and his dry sense of humor made his classes a delight. And Jim Voelz … well, Voelz is Voelz. He’s very excited and excitable over the things that he teaches, and it was from him that I first heard the phrase, “The other shoe is about to drop,” as he kicked his leg into the air, sending his loafer skyward, only to come crashing to the ground (sometimes after hitting the ceiling).
“The other shoe is about to drop.” This phrase denotes a general sense of fear and foreboding, that something big is coming and things are going to change, possibly (probably) for the worse. And, boy oh boy, we’ve been living this recently, haven’t we? These days, people are on edge, expecting something bad to happen, that some cataclysm (unforeseen or otherwise) is about to wreak havoc upon our world and alter life as we know it. The ugly truth is, it has been happening. And it’s likely to continue happening. These are dark, trying days, my friends.
But here’s the beautiful truth: it also changes absolutely nothing about what’s really important.
I don’t say that to be flippant or glib. I say it because it’s true. Yes, natural disasters strike. Kingdoms rise and fall. Wars and hatred expose the bitterness and brutality dwelling within our hearts. Diseases and injuries randomly strike and cause undue suffering. Death stalks and steals our loved ones away with little rhyme or reason. There are upheavals in the cosmos and within ourselves. This is what happens on this side of eternity. And this is precisely why we don’t look at these things as signs or evidence of Who God is. That is found solely in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and resurrected.
None of these things change the fact that Jesus of Nazareth is the Lamb of God, Who was sacrificed on a cross outside Jerusalem’s city walls, slaughtered to atone for your sins and mine. What you see in the news cycle cannot change the fact that, in your baptism, God intrinsically tied you to the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. Assassinations and riots cannot change the fact that the Father has clothed you in Christ’s righteousness. Hurricanes and floods cannot change the fact that, just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, He will raise you and me also. Wars and rumors of wars cannot strip you of the forgiveness, life, and salvation that you taste and see in the Supper of Christ’s true Body and Blood. The terror on every side, the civil strife and social upheaval, the corruption and injustice that you see does not invalidate the promises given to you by God Himself. None of the evil we see in this life ultimately changes anything, because He does not change, and He is Lord of all.
As we enter October, Reformation Month, I think it would do us all well to remember the rallying cry of the
Reformation: Verbum Domini Manet in Æternum, “The Word of God endures forever.” Remember the verses from Isaiah’s prophecy that was the inspiration for this motto: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever (40:8). Remember Paul’s words to the Romans, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (8:38-39). Remember—indeed, I encourage you to commit to memory, if you haven’t done so already—the final stanza of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” the “battle hymn” of the Reformation:
“The Word they still shall let remain, Nor any thanks have for it; He’s by our side upon the plain, with His good gifts and Spirit. And take they our life, Goods, fame, child, and wife, Though these all be gone, Our vict’ry has been won; The Kingdom ours remaineth.”
His promises are sure; His Word is trustworthy and true. While this world, in its present brokenness, may be going to hell in a handbasket, our Lord holds us in the palm of His hand, and assures us that nothing in all creation can snatch us away from Him. We rest in His pierced hands, and there is no better place to be.
Happy Reformation Month, everyone! + Pax Christi + Pastor Heckert