On the stones…

Rose noticed, as we walked upon darkened streets on Friday evening, how beautiful the cobblestones are.  Wittenberg has one main street, Collegienstrasse, which runs from Luther’s home to the Town Church, the place where he worshipped.  During morning prayers (today – Saturday), our new friend, a pastor from NYC named Justin, gave voice to what I think we all were feeling.  He spoke about how overwhelming it is to be in the very same church where the likes of Luther, Melanchthon and Lukas Cranach the Old expressed their faith.  For all we know, these could be some of the very same stones they walked upon, in the street and in the center aisle of the church.  The pulpit could be the very same from which Luther or Melanchthon preached.  We are all humbled and yet so excited at the same time.

But Pastor Justin also reminded us that these great spiritual leaders of old stood mostly upon the rock of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And while I find it so incredibly rich to be here, the Gospel remains with each one of us – in our hearts and within our reach.  My hope is that you will reach for the Word today, by saying a prayer or reading a verse or two from the Bible (Romans 8:28 or Galatians 5:22). God’s Word is no more powerful here in Germany than it is with you now. We simply need to walk by faith enough to remember that. My prayer across the miles is that God’s Word will be the unmovable stone below each of your steps.

Pastor Greg Bouvier