Someone shared with me recently that Martin Luther wrote a commentary on Galatians. I’ve been reading through it and enjoying his insight. The newest thing I’ve been pondering in the mornings over hot cocoa is “reason.”
Reason seems to be so often a sign of maturation. If we can think reasonably then we have essentially “grown up.” We make decisions that are “within reason” and we feel good about that.
But what about the idea of faith? And not only faith, but CHILDLIKE faith. Is it reasonable to believe? Is it reasonable that we should be given new and full lives because of what we believe rather than because of what we do? Could it be possible that our biggest hindrance in following our dreams and being ourselves and falling in love with and chasing after God is because it isn’t reasonable?
Are you going after anything in your life that seems absurd? Has reason ever kept you from something you longed for? Isn’t it a crazy notion to think our own reasoning can stand between us and God? Is it a sign of weakness or a sign of strength to trade our reason for faith in God?
My favorite quotes from Luther follow:
When we pay attention to reason, God seems to propose impossible matters in the Christian Creed. To reason it seems absurd that Christ should offer His body and blood in the Lord’s Supper; that Baptism should be the washing of regeneration; that the dead shall rise; that Christ the Son of God was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, etc. Reason shouts that all this is preposterous. Are you surprised that reason thinks little of faith? Reason thinks it ludicrous that faith should be the foremost service any person can render unto God.
Let your faith supplant reason. Abraham mastered reason by faith in the Word of God. Not as though reason ever yields meekly. It put up a fight against the faith of Abraham. Reason protested that it was absurd to think that Sarah who was ninety years old and barren by nature, should give birth to a son. But faith won the victory and routed reason, that ugly beast and enemy of God. Everyone who by faith slays reason, the world’s biggest monster, renders God a real service, a better service than the religions of all races and all the drudgery of meritorious monks can render.
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Such great posts Mandy! I hope you are enjoying your trip! Much of the Bible is full of stories that don’t fit nicely into reason, that’s for sure. When God speaks, we need to act on what He says, whether it sounds logical or not. And sometimes Christians seem to be more worried about reason than anything else. Good stuff for my brain to chew on. Thanks!