A mighty fortress is our God
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!... Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. Psalm 46:1-3, 10
Psalm 46 inspired Martin Luther to write the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Both psalm and hymn are recurrent sources of comfort and strength. Faith often finds increased reality in times of trouble. Hardship and difficulty did not destroy the psalmist’s faith. It was the occasion for enriched experience with God that spurs the opportunity to praise Him for what He had done. The psalmist’s statement of the security of God’s people in trouble describes such a time in terms of worldwide disorders and disasters. God is our refuge. God is the one who protects us or He is the one who shelters us. When we are going through turmoil in life caused by circumstances or natural calamities, we can find strength in the knowledge that God is with us. While here in this side of eternity, we will always wrestle with the dangers of an unstable world. Signs of instability in creation were seen in earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and droughts. But the psalmist is also concerned with the chaos that comes from nations whose fury results in the destruction brought about by war. Yet, despite all these upheavals, God is sovereign and in control. The admonition is a radical trust in the face of overwhelming threat. We are called upon as people of faith to hold steady before nameless dangers. Wherein lies your security? Believe that God is our Immanuel, God with us! God is our refuge in all earth-shaking events, and is with His people to make the divine loving presence known. In a world being destabilized by many forces, this quiet song of confidence stands as a reminder to place trust in God as refuge and strength. Believe and place your trust to the One who promised that He is with us. “Be still, and know that I am God!” Let us stop looking for security in anyone other than God, who is exalted among the nations.
Blessings
