"A Wilderness Faith" (More About C.W.F. Walther)

This is the daily devotion from Portals of Prayer for Sunday, May 7th, 2006 in commemoration of Dr. C.F.W. Walther.

What confidence it must have taken to start a "college" in a little log cabin in the Perry County wilderness of Missouri! Dr. C. W. F. Walther was one of four founders of the tiny school, established to provide a Christian education to its pupils. It must have seemed an impossible dream, considering the fact that not one of the founders was financially well off. Still, the school was built, and in 1839, seven boys and four girls were in attendance. In 1843, the school was moved to St. Louis, where it became a theological seminary.

In 1847, when The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod was founded, Walther became its first president. He served for nearly half a century in that office. He is still honored today as a champion of pure doctrine based on Scripture, centered in Christ crucified.

Walther believed and confessed that our most basic need was for Christ and the salvation He won for us through the cross and gives to us in the Gospel and Sacraments. We may not be financially well off, but when we have Christ, we have what we need the most.

Even today, human reason thinks we have more pressing needs than Christ. Human reason still thinks the crucified God is a foolish scandal. Yet, in the wisdom of God, He is salvation to all who believe.

Dr. Walther would be ashamed of how the LCMS has drifted away from the Word and Sacraments and given way to false doctrines. There are always LCMS congregations that are the exceptions though. May they stand strong for TRUTH!!