All Saints
I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. Isaiah 42:8
Perhaps the words of Isaiah were running through the mind of Boniface: “My glory I will not give to another, nor my praise to carved images.” He was about to do something remarkably brave and perhaps a bit reckless. Boniface took an axe and began to chop down a pagan town’s idol called “Thor’s Oak,” which was used to worship the false god of thunder. The people saw this and grew furious, but they allowed it, thinking Thor would strike Boniface down with lightning. On the contrary, no lightning occurred, but the tree fell and broke into pieces. It is said that the people converted later that day as it was explained to them that God Almighty is the only God and that they no longer needed to sacrifice themselves to make their gods happy, but that God sacrificed His only Son to save us and be happy with us.
Bold was the faith of Boniface, and bold was his witness. It was so bold that he continued into the modern-day Netherlands to preach the Gospel. To carry out his efforts, on the evening of Pentecost, he called for a meeting with all the recent converts of that region only to be met by local vigilantes who mercilessly killed him and his followers.
This may seem like a tragic way to die, but when one has faith that moves mountains, or in this case chops down trees, man can do nothing to us. Faith in the Son of God who died on a tree saves you and me. May the boldness of our faith grow strong so that we may, despite all odds, carry the Gospel to others so that they may believe.
Can we whose souls are lighted with wisdom from on high,
Can we to men benighted the lamp of life deny?
Salvation! Oh, Salvation! The joyful sound proclaim
Till each remotest nation Has learned Messiah’s name.
The Lutheran Hymnal 495:3