As Luther said, “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf of spring.”
Fields of gold as far as the eye can see.
That’s the first thing my brother and I noticed last month after renting a car in Frankfurt and hopping on the autobahn. Fields of gold as far as the eye can see. Germany has many wonderful things to offer travelers, such as gardens, palaces, castles, and cathedrals. But on this particular week in late spring, it turned out to be millions and millions of yellow flowers. (They are harvested and used in the making of canola oil). Everyone told us that we came at the perfect time, and after one drive through the German countryside, we heartily agreed.
We were there to see relatives and to tour the Luther Lands, areas which had been closed off to us in previous years. My family and I had lived in Northern Germany in the late 70’s when East Germany was still verboten for Western visitors. Since we were unable to see where Martin Luther lived back then, we were very much looking forward to finally visiting these historic sites of the Reformation.
We were able to stay several days in Luther’s hometown, Wittenberg, and it definitely did not disappoint. Later we were also able to visit Erfurt, Eisenach, and the Wartburg Castle. There is so much to see and learn.
500 years later, these sites help reveal Luther’s impact and influence not just in the church and but also within politics, business, economics, philosophy, language, education, and technology, Yet at the center of the Reformation was Luther’s rediscovery of the gospel - the good news message that we are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Justification by grace through faith, the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls, still forms and informs what we believe today, just as it did the early church and just as it did for Luther.
As pastors, my brother and I were of course engrossed and engaged by the history and theology, but what really entranced and enchanted us on this trip was the natural beauty of the landscapes and the countryside that surrounded us. It reminded us that, while a cross and heart are at the center of Luther’s Seal, they are set in the midst of a white rose, and encircled by a golden ring. A sign and symbol of the new creation. A brief yet beautiful glimpse of eternity. As Luther said, “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf of spring.”
Fields of gold as far as the eye can see.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
