Diet of Worms

It sounds so mysterious and icky: Diet of Worms. Martin Luther. I have been reading a book by Mark Noll titled Turning Points: Decisive Moments in Christian History. Started in the beginning and it was all quite interesting, council of Nicaea, council of Chalcedon, the Benedictine Monks, Charlemagne, the crusades, rise of Islam, and I finally started the chapter on Martin Luther, his 95 theses and the Diet of Worms. Who can resist such a chapter? So I am at where Luther is called to reaffirm or recant his writings, and he basically apologized for his harshness but would not recant his writings unless he could be shown through Scripture he was wrong.

And then I lost my book. It's gone. I've dragged this book along with me everywhere; to lunch dates, as I walk to pick up my kids, Carried to every room in the house, cooked dinner while reading it, read it while eating dinner, I've taken this thing everywhere.

Now normally I am quite careful with my books; I do like to keep them nearly perfect and usually this is easy to do because I read things very quickly so I don't have to cart the book with me for a long period of time.... but this book I bought used, in just okay condition. I could not make it look worse if I tried! So this has been my take anywhere book and it's not the most easy to read books but it's quite interesting, especially now that I've finally come to Martin Luther. What a cliffhanger!

So of course I'm still searching for this book. I either left it at the schoolyard or it's somewhere in my house. I'm so desperate I have even contemplated purchasing it again but it wasn't as in depth as I'd have liked so I did what any logical, desperate person would do: I sent out a tweet asking for recommendations. My pastor friend Charlie who is married to my friend Denise that I've known since jr. high and is my "sister", replied with a suggestion so now that book which is over 1500 pages long is on order through half.com and on its way to me.

I know I'm crazy but to me it just started getting really interesting! Another friend sent a direct message tweet to my request for a book recommendation and simply said "The Bible, perhaps" to which I replied that the Bible isn't going to tell me about the Diet of Worms and he replied that he "hadn't had a need for such knowledge". I'm not sure I have a NEED; I just find it fascinating and reading about this stuff in many ways puts me in awe at how things transpired and realizing that God truly is sovereign.

Plus, I do love biographies and do find it interesting that these people who loved God so wholeheartedly still got certain things "wrong" ..... still struggled with life. Still had to choose to pick up their cross daily and were imperfect in that. Yet God uses the imperfect. I was even chatting wit a friend the other day who does not hold Luther as a man in high regard and it was an interesting discussion. I can see her viewpoint but I'd urge her to read more about him. Yes; he had failings as we all but what he did was quite extraordinary and he Loved God and did much in word and deed.

Am I rambling? I suppose I am. All this to say I miss my book! It's even harder because I just don't like to lose books. I'm grateful it was one of my own instead of someone else's! Oh, just a tidbit of information: Did you know you can download several books by John Piper, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and several more for your iphone at http://www.olivetree.com/

Still, I am on a mission to find that book! I guess I'll wait until the mail brings me my new, different 1500 page volume of church history 1500 to the present.

In closing, here's the words to Martin Luther's most famous hymn, oft called the "battle hymn of the reformation". Enjoy!

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.