The D A Y

"It was expected to set off a round of discussions -
In reality, it was so explosive that it was to change Europe forever"

Michael Horton.

Tomorrow (October 31st) is one of my favourite days of the year.
On this day, around mid-day, in the year 1517, a man nailed a document to a door in a German town to encourage, what he thought, would be a scholarly debate concerning abusive religious ideas and practices that demeaned the message of Christianity and sorely burdened the common people. What happened was his points for debate (95 theses) ignited a fire that caused the first seismic change in Christianity for over a thousand years.

The man was Martin Luther. The result was the Reformation.

It's easy for us today to forget just how major and how vital this event is. Luther brought the Apostolic message concerning the nature of faith back to the very centre of what Christianity was about - something which had been tragically lost for so long. His writings and his preaching called the church to re-establish its life and faith around the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as so clearly declared and defined in the New Testament. It was a moment when the world was called afresh to take note of a truth that had not changed, however much it had been muted or ignored.

This day reminds us that history is filled with moments which leave us aghast, as in them we see a God who works amidst human actions to allow us a glimpse of His Kingdom.

Enjoy the day, and the freedom that comes by God's redeeming grace.