Sunday, February 28, 2016

Reading some Giertz

Dear Blog:  I have been reading Bishop Bo Giertz, like I said, and not much else, but I have also been discussing on blogs.  What can I do.

Anyhow, a little something from Giertz, that caught my attention.  I do find him good sustenance, at this point, and very refreshing.  His own faith is very tender and palpable.  I had the idea during service today, that I should get more copies to give to the seminarians to let a good bishop pastor them, too, in their reading.

Here is a prayer from page 158 ("To Live with Christ")

Lord, I ask You for a bit of Your patience.  Teach me that no day can be meaningless as long as You are at work in this world.  My blind eyes can't see how You can allow the weeds to grow and thrive the way they do.  There's not enough room in my heart to hope and believe that it's worth continuing.  But as long as You want to do it, I can only bow my head and pray that Your will be done and that I, too, can be a small instrument in Your service.  Therefore, I ask for Your kingdom to come even into this evil world, where I don't believe it's possible.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.


Came across this from Luther on Noah, as bishop, and any other bishop:

 “In the first place, Noah filled the office of bishop; and because he had been plagued by various temptations, it was his foremost concern to oppose the devil and comfort the tempted, to restore the erring, to give confidence to the wavering, to encourage the despairing, to shut out the impenitent from his church, and to receive back the penitent with fatherly joy. These are almost the same duties that must be performed by a bishop through the ministry of the Word.”
– Martin Luther on the duties of Noah after the flood. Luther’s Works, vol. 2, pg 165



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