The fortress is armed. The swords and shields are ready for battle. A mighty foe awaits. The devil with all his wiles stands ready to attack. Sounds pretty harsh and frightening to me, but this was the language Martin Luther used in the 16th century to set the scene.
And just where am I going with this? Well, next Sunday is Reformation Sunday. And for as long as I can remember, that’s the day that we will surely be singing Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

Luther’s text for this hymn, full of battle terminology, focuses on God’s great might – His unbeatable and unmatchable power to overturn evil. Luther wasn’t trying to frighten us, although when I was a little girl I admit I found this hymn just a bit scary. He was trying to reassure us, to give us confidence. He tells us that no matter what threats we are facing, we need not tremble. He IS there by our side, fighting to protect us.  The second stanza sums it up well to me:

If we in our own strength confide,

our striving turns to losing;

the righteous one fights by our side,

the one of God’s own choosing.

You ask who this may be:

Christ Jesus, it is he,

the Lord of hosts by name,

No other God we claim!

None else can win the battle.

It is said that Luther used Psalm 46 as his inspiration for this hymn. You may choose to read this Psalm, to see how Luther expressed the Psalmist’s message in this hymn.

Remember: God IS with us – with all of His Almighty Power! When we try to go it on our own, we set ourselves up to lose. But knowing that God is right there by our side can give us the strength and confidence to press on. Life may be difficult, but you are not alone. The Almighty God loves you unconditionally.

Judy

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46