Nehemiah 9:1-3
In October 31, 1517, the Protestant Reformation began in Wittenberg, Germany, when Martin Luther published a document he called “Disputation on the power of indulgences” or the 95 thesis. His idea was to call for a debate on the 95 ideas he wrote down about Christianity. It was in a bid to correct some abnormally in the church. Till date, Christians and especially Lutherans, remember and also celebrate the Reformation every 31st day in October.
We all know that the church is not what it used to be. A lot has happened that it appears as if there is a need for another reformation. The Reformation I believe we need this time, is the Reformation of ourselves. This can be done by confessing our sins, and offering true worship. In Nehemiah chapter 9, we discovered that in October 31, 445 BC, The people of God acknowledged their wrong. They assembled together, fasted, dressed in burlap, and sprinkled dust on their heads and prayed for hours. In fact, they prayed for three hours, after they had listen to the word of God for three hours also. They prayed and confessed their sins unto God. This is what we need today. The church cannot be right when Christians in the church are wrong. The church cannot be reformed when Christians in the church are not reformed.
The greatest reformation we need today, is the reformation of ourselves; our body, mind and hearts: a personal reformation of our whole being. Reformation according to the Miriam Webster dictionary is the act of putting or changing into an improved form; amending or improving by change of form or removal of faults or abuses. It also means the act of putting an end to an evil, by enforcing or introducing a better method or causes of action. The last definition is that, it is an act of inducing or causing to abandon evil ways. We really need a personal reformation. We need to change our evil ways. We need Christ in us, so that we can become new, and live as reformed children of God
We don’t need any soothsayer or prophet to tell us that we need to truly confess and repent of our sins, and worship God in the right way. It will not require any ceremony. We might celebrate the reformation, organize events, shower encomium on Luther, and try to let others know that we are Lutherans. But we will still be deformed as a church, if the people in the church are not Reformed.
So I pray that God will search our hearts, and break the stony ones with his word. May He see our genuine confession and repentance, and help us to worship Him the right way; in spirit and in truth. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. God bless you
Papa Mbos 