October 10, 2023 | Martin Luther – Day 34

 

“We should be careful not to follow our eyes; we should rather close our eyes and open our ears and hear the Word.”

Martin Luther

 

 

Martin Luther has been called the “apostle of faith,” because He understood the importance of faith in our everyday relationship with our Creator. He also understood how easy it was to be diverted from faith in God by the enticements of the world.

 

Of course, in our quote above, Martin was not advising his hearers to put on blinders, rather he was urging his people not to get lost in worldliness. He knew that salvation could not be found by what our eyes might see but by the wisdom imparted through God’s Word alone.

 

Paul said as much to the new church in Rome when he said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Rome was a place filled with worldly pleasures meant to draw you away from faith in anything but Rome. Paul, in his wisdom from experiences past, knew that the greater way of faith was in Christ alone built on the knowledge of God alone through His holy Word alone.

 

We are ..not to love the world or the things of the world,” (1 John 2:15), because doing so, separates us from the love of the Father. Rather we are to “Set (our) minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). In doing so we receive the blessings imparted through faith.

 

Peter said in 1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” Our ignorance comes by virtue of our itching ears and our insatiable vision of worldliness. Rather, he would advise us that we are to come to trust the guidance of Almighty God through His gift of Scripture because, only there can we hear the voice of God.

 

Today, begin a reading plan of Scripture. Make sure to have a notepad ready to write down your thoughts because what you will be reading will be much more than simple words on a page. Do not be motivated by what you see in the world. Find your motivation by the renewal of your mind guided by God through His Word.

 

Our prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us faith by Your Word to guide us and guard us from the false gods of the world who would try and take away the gift of salvation You have given us. Amen.