A Bundle of Myrrh

“To annoy the devil, I say, we should always have this holy name of the Lord in our mouth, so that the devil may not be able to injure us as he wishes. For this purpose it also helps that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants and all the we have, against every need that may occur. That is why we have blessing and thanksgiving at meals, and other prayers for morning and evening have originated and remain in use.

A simple help appears in the children’s practice of crossing themselves when anything monstrous or terrible is seen or heard, and they exclaim “Lord God, protect us!” “Help, dear Lord Jesus!” etc. Also, if anyone meets with unexpected good fortune, however trivial, he may say “God be praised and thanked; God has bestowed this on me!” etc.

See, in this way, we might train our youth in a childlike way and playfully in the fear and honor of God. Then the First and Second Commandments might be well kept and in constant practice. Then some good might take root, spring up and bear fruit, and people may grow up whom the whole nation may desire and enjoy. In addition, this would be the true way to bring up children well as longs as they can become trained with kindness and delight.” (Martin Luther, Large Catechism I, 72-76)

Here is a sermon on Hebrews 12:4-11.

There is a book in my library entitled The Fatherhood of God in an Age of Emancipation, by W. A. Visser ‘t Hooft (Westminster Press, 1982).  It is a fascinating study on how society has moved away from any form of authority.  It highlights how we live in a different world than when the Bible was written.

For example, we don’t have kings with unlimited authority.  Governments are often told what to do by citizens, rather than the other way around.  Slavery, which was common in biblical times, is now unthinkable.  To say the husband is head of the wife, might be called slavery and abuse today.  People claim to be free to chose their sex instead of having it chosen for them.  We have even been freed from absolute morals, we are told.  What do all these have in common?  They are all part of the process of emancipation—the freeing from a higher authority.

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