Carol and I have begun two weeks here in Wittenberg, Germany, conducting devotions and worship services for the English speaking tourists and residents here. We experienced again lugging too much luggage, reminding me we need to shed some of the stuff we carry around in life. We're also experiencing some authentic "Luther life," as Wittenberg is in a heat wave, and there is no air conditioning in this town! None - nowhere, except in cars. We wanted to know what life was like back then, but not this way!
It is best to travel light. A few years back I went to an estate sale taking place in a large building filled with stuff, very little of it valuable. The sale manger told me, "You should have seen it before we hauled away those other five dumpsters full!" I think they quit too soon. Those folks had amassed quite a collection and now it just sat there, unwanted.
Most of us need to lighten our loads. We need to think of God more and self less. "He must increase, but I must decrease," said John about Jesus (John 3:30-KJV). We busy our lives filling our new barns, forgetting about what's really important. We fret about today, tomorrow and yesterday, but can do nothing about two of those days. Tomorrow hasn't yet come, and yesterday is gone forever. Only today is within our reach to deal with. When troubles of life threaten to overwhelm us, we need get the essentials of Jesus back into our lives.
We also need to use the mind God gave us. When Luther married Katie, he was paid only once a year. The first year they were married, he picked up his pay and by the time he got home half of it was gone, given it to beggars along the way. After that, Katie picked up his pay from Elector Frederick of Saxony. Katie became financial head of the house, using the talents God gave her. Luther later wrote she amazed him every day. He would have agreed with David, "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope." (Psalm 16:9)
I'd guess even Luther would say this humid town needs air conditioning!
No comments:
Post a Comment