God can handle grief, rage, and cries for justice. God can handle the victim who cannot yet forgive. God can handle the prayer that comes out jagged and wounded. The good news is that God is holy and merciful enough to handle all our prayers.
But while scholars are right to focus on the bond between Martin and Hans, the evidence of Martin’s own words suggests their relationship may not have been as troubled as some suppose. For Hans Luther was not a cartoon villain but a normal human being attempting to make his way in the world and raise his children to the best of his ability.
Jesus offers something infinitely better. He tells us to put down our gavel—not because sin isn't real, but because the only Judge who has the right to condemn is the very One who was condemned for us.

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Why is it truly meet right and salutary that we should at all times and all places give thanks to God.
This is the prelude of Easter. Is a dead Jesus still resting in the tomb? No!
Ash Wednesday's purpose is not to motivate our resolve to redouble our efforts to do better.
The usual acclamation when one becomes King is: “Long live the King!” But this King of kings, this son of David, has come to die.
If Jesus shows up and you are a sinner, ‘tis more blessed to receive than to give
The Second Edition of “The Christian Life: Cross or Glory?” by Steven Hein is now available from 1517 Publishing.
Although God is always closer to us than the nose on our face, he has not taken the wraps off and given any sinful and mortal human being a full-measure, face-to-face meeting.
We do not have to endure the pain and suffering of this fallen existence forever, just for a little while.
Ash Wednesday, is meant to remind us we have a death problem. All living things made from the soil shall return to it.
Epiphany celebrates that we have not been left in our hearts’ cold darkness and this spoiled creation.
We are given, so we give thanks, and we give thanks by giving.
The following is an excerpt from “The Christian Life: Cross or Glory” written by Steven A. Hein (1517 Publishing, 2015).