The Seminary of Life
Monday of Pentecost 24
5 November 2018
The family is the nursery of God in which children are properly raised up in the nurture and love of the Lord (Eph 6:4). Children need parents sent from God who are just crazy about them and in whom children see the very sacrifice of Christ played out in the world. I often saw this in the life of my parents. My parents sacrificed so that my brother and I had what we needed. I knew what selflessness looked like because it was modeled by my father and mother.
 
When I was a child, my parents grew a garden. It was not a hobby garden; it was deadly serious. We needed the food that could be produced by it. In the early spring, my father would start plant seeds like tomatoes in a cold frame, which was covered by an old glass door. The cold frame would be propped open during the day when the temperature was well above freezing and closed at night to keep the plants from being killed by frost at night. The family is like that for children. It is a place of refuge; a nursery for children. When they need to be protected from the cold world around them parents cover them. They have an opportunity to grow and mature. God is in the midst of this work by parents. Every grace and blessing is showered down by God upon the nursery of the family, this seminary of life called the family and beyond it there are no greater blessings. All of God's gifts are bestowed on marriage and the family that it might promote the good in the world. Because the word of life is given to the family by God, the family is a seminary of life.

Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray
Memorial Lutheran Church

   Martin Luther
"God has most richly blessed the estate of marriage above all others. In addition, He has bestowed on it and wrapped up in it everything in the world, so that this estate might be well and richly provided for. All married life is, therefore, no joke or presumption. It is an excellent thing and a matter of divine seriousness. For marriage has the highest importance to God so that people are raised up who may serve the world and promote the knowledge of God, godly living, and all virtues, to fight against wickedness and the devil." 

Martin Luther, Large Catechism, 1.208
Mark 10:13-16

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
(ESV)
Prayer
Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children. As we bring them up, give us the strength and patient wisdom that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
For all who come to the United States of America to make a new life, that they might make with many languages a united people
 
For Pr. Daniel Conrad and the people of San Pedro Lutheran Church in Mexico City, that they may be upheld and strengthened in the true Word of Christ our Savior
 
For all the enemies of the church, that they may repent and share the same faith with us in the forgiveness of Christ, the Savior of all persons
Art: Albrecht DURER, The Adoration of the Trinity (1511)
Memorial Lutheran Church
smurray@mlchouston.org
http://www.mlchouston.org
©  Scott Murray 2018