Bouncing Back and Having Fun

Someone asked about bouncing back from ill treatment from one's peers, one's synod, and pseudo-pious laity. I told one pastor, "If you want a friend in the Lutheran Church, get a dog."

Our loyalty must remain with the Word of God and the Confessions. I do not include synodical documents created by theological illiterates and voted upon by convention to be authoritative. I was once chastised for "showing contempt for synodical resolutions." Guilty as charged. The sect president covered up the criminal behavior of his brother-in-law. A regular Dershowitz, this churchman. Which synod? you ask. I can think of three where I have direct knowledge of cover-ups, some felonious.

If God wants to move someone, Patton's Third Army will not keep him in that position. If God does not want him moved, Patton's Third Army will not budge him. It is a great mistake to conspire with apostates to keep oneself in false security by adulterating the Word of God.

The enemies of God's Word will engage in any disgraceful act to ascend to power and to keep it. Unfortunately, many accept the PR releases as truth, but that number is fading.

When God allows His faithful to endure the cross, we should not resent a slight version of what His Son bore for us. We get only a glimmering of what Our Savior endured for our sake. He was innocent. We are not.

As Luther said, our Old Adam rebels against this treatment. "You can tie a hog to a tree, but you cannot keep him from squealing." So it is with our fallen human nature. In time, the cross purifies our faith as we realize how useless security is. God gives us more than we could ever hope for, pray about, or wish.

Why do children laugh so freely? Luther said, "You have as much laughter as you have faith." Children have boundless faith and seldom rationalize the way adults do. We want to balance the equation, but God does not work that way. He lets Satan and unbelievers (many in synodical and congregational leadershp positions) have their way. But His Holy Spirit is so powerful that He can turn the worst evil into the greatest blessing, as He did on Good Friday.