Thanks be to God

This may seem to be outside of the intended subject of this blog, but I hope it is worth saying.

I've been following the convention on the live stream since the beginning, and to be totally honest, most of it has made me kind of nauseous. The beautiful classic hymns turned into 3rd rate rock songs, the seeming indifference of the (now former) president and standing committee to the serious issues brought up by faithful pastors, the political sophistry in the guise of a "meditation and devotion" before the presidential election; all of these things were rather disturbing, yet when Harrison was elected and took the microphone, it was as if all of the nonsense hushed.

"You have kept your long-standing tradition of electing sinners to this office."

With an acknowledgement of the hurt which filled many hearts at that place and time, President Harrison spoke words of healing and forgiveness, and I again remembered that confessional Lutheran doctrine, at its heart, isn't about angry polemics. How easy it is to forget that confessional teaching and living loses its very foundation without compassion, kindness, and forgiveness, for these are the very things which we see revealed by God through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God and may President Harrison faithfully lead our synod and all of its congregations in living a life of repentance through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen