Five Minutes a Day with Luther - 12-20-2009
Five Minutes with Luther
** Now available in book form: http://lcmssermons.com/about5mins.php **
December 20
Psalm 103:11-13 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far
as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our
transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his
children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
* * *
Seeing that heaven is God's stool, as Isaiah writes, therefore He
can reach far, far above heaven; and that the earth is His
footstool, therefore He must needs be in the whole world, as the
following words show: "Where is a place that I may rest? For My
hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into
being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, To him
who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My
word." It is as if God would say: Those who tremble at My Word,
they are the ones in whom I will have My rest and dwelling; but
now these people are scattered here and there in the whole
world. And if He fills all things, then surely He must needs be
everywhere, spiritually in His Word and Sacraments. Therefore He
that desires to be wise before God, let Him learn God's Word, and
stand in fear of Him, for "the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom." Yet let him fear in such a way that he also hopes
in His goodness. If any man will ask why God permits men to be
hardened and fall into everlasting perdition, let him also ask,
why God did not spare His only Son, but gave Him for us all to
die the most accursed death of the cross? This is more
certainly a sign of His love for us poor people than of His
wrath and anger against us. Such questions cannot be better
solved and answered than by asking the like contrary questions.
Let us therefore accept His good will and not speculate
concerning His Words and works.
To fear Thy power, to trust Thy grace,
Is our divinest skill;
And he's the wisest of our race,
Who best obeys Thy will.
---
Cuda.
aka Pastor Robin Fish
Lutheran to the core -- and just a little beyond.
View online at http://lcmssermons.com/5mins.php?d=2009-12-20
These daily readings are now available in book form;
read about it at http://lcmssermons.com/about5mins.php.