Not long after Luther left the Castle and emerged from hiding, he was contacted to assist a group of 12 nuns in escaping from their convent. Martin did just that, sending a friend who used his wagon loaded with fish barrels to conceal the women upon their secretive exit. These women had heard and accepted the teachings coming out of the Reformation and had come to believe that Scripture prescribes the honoring of God through family life rather than the nunnery.
The ladies were brought to Wittenberg where Luther assisted in finding husbands for each of them, except for one, Katharina von Bora. She had options for marriage, but Katharina refused to marry just anyone. After some time, she expressed that she was only willing to marry either Luther or a close friend of Luther's, Nicholaus von Amsdorf, who was also instrumental in the reformational work taking place.
Though marriage had been far from Luther's mind, he ultimately concluded that it would be good for him to marry. In part, and according to him, because it would 1) make his parents happy, 2) make the pope angry, 3) make the angels laugh, and 4) make the devils weep. So, Martin Luther married Katharina von Bora in June of 1525. They had 6 children together, 2 of which died in childhood. They also raised a number of orphaned children.
The fear from Luther's contemporaries, that his domestic responsibilities would hurt the efforts of reformation, were unfounded, much due to the tenacity of his bride. Martin was challenged by Katie (a name he affectionately called her), pushed on by her to continue the work. Katie's aptitude in operating the home and family affairs freed Martin to labor in his work. In fact, without Martin's marriage to Katie, it seems very possible that Martin's work would have ended long before his death in 1546 (Katie would pass six years later, in 1552).
Though neither Martin nor Katie married because of a pre-existing love but instead out of a perceived duty, they grew to love one another deeply. Martin said of their marriage, "There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage." Martin loved his time as a father as well, spending much time with his children and teaching them the things of God.
Isn't it remarkable and curious how God raises up and sends unique characters to perform specific tasks for the church along the way? It is doubtless that God is in the habit of using people to accomplish His will. Martin and Katie Luther, two of millions, maybe even billions whom God has used to grow and strengthen His church, are evidence of this. The contributions of some individuals are large, others smaller, some even imperceptible, but we must never lose sight of just exactly Who it is who is building the church (Matthew 16:18). It is none other than Jesus Christ himself.
And as for you dear reader, please consider this, "...who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
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