Reformation Day - 3 Things

1. Isn't it interesting how God will use seemingly insignificant actions in our lives to change the world? 492 years ago today, Luther, a relatively obscure monk in a little town in Germany, had just nailed a piece of paper to the door of a church. Little did he know that he had changed the course of western history. You really never know what God is going to do with your life.
   
   
2. There's 2 books I've read about the Reformation that I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd mention them for the occasion:
   
   The Reformation by T.M. Lindsay. This book totally enlightened the way I saw the Reformation. It tells the story of the Reformation from the beginning with Luther to the end during the 30 Years War. It explains its progress in countries you rarely hear of it happening in, like Scandinavia or the Netherlands. And the book doesn't leave you with merely the events of the Reformation - the last section of the book is devoted to the ideas and principles that fueled the movement. I'm of the opinion that every Christian should read this book. :-) Google Books also has it for online reading here.
   
   Ladies of the Reformation by J.H. Alexander. To sum it up, this book is about the great women behind the great men of the Reformation. In the back there's a handy timeline comparing important dates in the lives of each of these women. Also included throughout the book are interesting old-fashioned pictures of the places mentioned and portraits of some of the women.
   
   
3. This day makes me especially thankful for my Bible. Not only can I read it in my own language, I may do so without fear of being executed for it. God's Word is an incredibly priceless gift. One of the greatest experiences is the lightbulb moment that comes when you're reading the Bible, and a verse you've never noticed before suddenly stands out and God uses it to teach you something new, or remind you of something important. There are so many "Christians" out there today who let theirs sit on a shelf and collect dust. What a tragedy! They don't realize that they're groping in the darkness, without a lamp for their feet or a light for their path.