When Pastor Harrison said, before thousands of people watching online, before his peers, before politicians and our Lord Himself, “I will stand personally for the rights of every single person. I will give my sons up to fight for this country and sacrifice everything I have for the sake of guaranteeing the rights of every single citizen in this country,” he was speaking for all of us.
When he said, “We fought for a free conscience in this country, and we won’t give it up without a fight,” he was speaking for all of us.
When he said, “To paraphrase Martin Luther, the heart and conscience has room only for God, not for God and the federal government. The bed is too narrow, the blanket is too short. We must obey God rather than men, and we will,” he was speaking for all of us.
And while he was doing so, he was reminding us of our confirmation vows, of what we promised on behalf of our church. The House Committee heard his intensity and trusted that he meant it, but we, as Lutherans, heard a reminder of our faith, of our vow to suffer all, even death, for the sake of the Gospel.
Lutheran pastors are often called “Father,” because they do what fathers do. They guide. They protect. They encourage. They discipline. They watch out for the good of the family, and they speak up on its behalf and for its well-being. They show mercy, and they reprimand in love. They lead. They defend, no matter the cost.
Today, Pastor Harrison did all of those things, and he did them on behalf of and in support of each one of us who belong to the LCMS, but more profoundly, for all who do and will suffer for the Gospel and all it bears with it.
He did what fathers do. He showed mercy. He lead. And he defended the faith, no matter the cost, with nothing but his well-worn and studied Greek New Testament in hand.
“I will stand personally for the rights of every single person . . . and sacrifice everything I have.” And we will too, President Harrison. We will too. 
For more about President Harrison’s defense of freedoms today, go here .
letitstet.com 
I enjoyed ths as much as I did Pres. Harrison’s words. Very moving and true.
He was spot on and I was proud of him. I wonder how much he will have to take from those in the LCMS who love our president to the point of lunacy. Please see my post on my FB wall about Charles Krauthammer who agrees with us totally..
President Harrison did indeed give a wonderful testimony to the doctrine of the Lutheran Church. I was very unimpressed with the committee, but I was impressed with Harrison.
I agree. President Harrison spoke to the compassion due to those who suffer, the firm right of everyone to in our country to the freedom of religion, and, in the face of the committe, to the grace and mercy of our Lord who brought him to testify there. Hebrews 10 gives the warnings against shrinking back in our faith amid adversity. Thanks be to God for His nail-pierced hand’s guidance on Pastor Harrison who stood firm when speaking of His testimonies before our governing authorities. (Ps. 119:46, Matt. 10:20)
May our Lord grant us the same courage and commitment to speak His Law and Gospel rightly divided in the public square as He gave Pres. Harrison the words to speak.