Have you read Hammer of God?
Feed: Southern Lutheran Kantor
Posted on: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 3:32 PM
Author: Nathan
Subject: "Do you consider that something to give him?"
| I have been rereading Bo Giertz's Hammer of God and thought I'd share a few favorite quotes. This quote comes from the 2nd part and is a new pastor speaking to the seasoned pastor about what it means to be a believer. "But don't you know, sir, what it means to be a believer?" "That is a word which can stand for things that differ greatly, my boy. I ask only what it is that you believe in." "In Jesus, of course," answered Fridfeldt, raising his voice. "I mean–I mean that I have given him my heart." The older man's face became suddenly as solemn as the grave. "Do you consider that something to give him?" By this time, Fridfeldt was almost in tears. "But sir, if you do not give your heart to Jesus, you cannnot be saved." "You are right, my boy. And it is just as true that, if you think you are saved because you give Jesus your heart, you will not be saved. You see, my boy," he continued reassuringly, as he continued to look at the young pastor's face, in which uncertainty and resentment were shown in a struggle for the upper hand, "it is one thing to choose Jesus as one's Lord and Savior, to give him one's heart and commit oneself to him, and that he now accepts one into his little flock; it is a very different thing to believe in him as a Redeemer of sinners, of whom one is chief. One does not choose a Redeemer for oneself, you understand, nor give one's heart to him. The heart is a rusty old can on a junk heap. A fine birthday gift, indeed! But a wonderful Lord passes by, and has mercy on the wrtched tin can, sticks his walking cane through it, and rescues it from the junk pile and takes it home with him. That is how it is." What great mercy our Heavenly Father showed by sending His Son to redeem all people, that He chose to pick us from the junk heap of our sin and punish His Son in our place. Thanks be to God!
       
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