A Mighty Fortress

Psalm 46
Years ago a young woman asked to have the hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” sung at her wedding, explaining that it had been a favorite of her deceased father’s. It then fell to me as the minister to make sense of the matter for folks who attended the wedding. Why would a young woman be thinking about fortresses and bulwarks on her wedding day? Why would she request a hymn with the words, “Our helper, He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing”? What meaning on this particular day might she find in the words, “Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also…”? Yet the more I thought about it the more sense it actually made to me. Here was a young couple bringing their lives together, facing a lot of uncertainties in themselves and in each other, wondering what the future would bring. What better time to lay claim to God’s work for humanity in the person of Jesus Christ, even if it did come in a rather foreboding musical style?

Martin Luther wrote “A Mighty Fortress” — a classic of the Reformation –– based in part on Psalm 46 and the words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Luther himself faced many difficult challenges in his life and obviously took great comfort from the psalmist’s assurances that God protects and defends God’s people. This was good news indeed for a man who was willing to challenge the Roman church in all of its power and glory. As the psalm reminds us, “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea” (v. 2). As Luther knew, it is Jesus Christ in whom we encounter God-with-us. It is Jesus Christ who lived in such a way as to demonstrate that God is in control, that God is a mighty fortress, “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” It is Jesus Christ who reaches out to us in the pages of scripture, who is willing to die for us, and who invites us to trust and believe in him.

Our God is a mighty fortress, when “the mountains shake at the heart of the sea,” when our lives teeter on the brink of uncertainty; or when we enter into new relationships, even if we have a pretty good idea of where we are headed. Whether we seem threatened by the forces of this world, or we find ourselves living in relative safety and peace, God remains a mighty fortress for us, come what may.

Prayer: Lord, give us your guidance and protection, all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When Silence Is Golden

Psalm 62

Among the readings found in the Daily Lectionary are two Psalms for the morning and two for the evening. Today I was struck by the open verses of Psalm 62.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;

I shall never be shaken” (Psalm 62:1-2).

There are days when I like some noise in my life. I sometimes listen to music or watch TV even when I am doing something else. But there are other days when what I really need is silence, not so that I “can hear myself think,” as the expression goes, so that I can hear what is happening in my heart and soul, the places where God is so often active. Why listen for God? The psalmist makes it clear: God alone is our source of salvation and protection. On those occasions when we allow outside noise to invade our consciousness we may lose track of God’s presence. We may also find ourselves distracted, wandering after things of no importance at all instead of concentrating on what it is that God offers us or calls us to do. Prayer, too, can be hampered by too much noise, even our incessant jabbering to God. A full and meaningful prayer life requires some time to listen, to meditate, to quit talking and let God have a turn. Psalm 62 is a good way to remember the importance of quiet reflection. In fact, I would suggest adding verses 1 and 2 to any list of memorized scripture. At any time it is appropriate to wait for God, our “rock and salvation” in silence.

Prayer: Lord, silence the noise in our hearts and minds that we may hear you more clearly and follow you more faithfully. Amen.

The Very Meaning of 'Martyr"

Revelation 12:7-17
Luke 11:53-12:12
Our reading from Revelation today continues the apocalyptic struggle between good and evil, one which God’s people will ultimately win. “But they have conquered (the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death” (Revelation 12:11). This tying together of one’s testimony and the willingness to die is the very essence of martyrdom. The Greek word for martyr is the same as the English word for witness, one who is willing to offer testimony as to what they believe, even when threatened with death. According to the author of Revelation, those who trust in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and in the good news of the gospel are the ones who will not fear death.

In his ministry Jesus offered a similar word of encouragement. “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more” (Luke 12:4). In his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” Martin Luther writes,

Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

Something to consider today, as you go about your normal activities, is the value with which you hold the gospel. Are you willing to die for your faith? Do you trust in God’s salvation and have confidence enough in God’s word to “not cling to life even in the face of death?” For some of us this is question is merely a mental exercise. But for many this is a real and pressing issue, one that hits close to home, for there are men and women who this very day may find themselves persecuted for their faith and who, by the grace of God will stand firm in their convictions. Perhaps those of us who will face no such struggle should honor our brothers and sisters who do by taking our faith more seriously this day and every day. Perhaps we can be more attentive to the claims of discipleship and to living a life in Christ in those places where it is taken for granted, so that those who must risk everything for the gospel will not stand alone.

Prayer: Lord, give us the strength and courage we need to stand as your people, to risk everything for the truth of the gospel, and to offer our testimony to your Son Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.