A Mighty Fortress

Did you know that just a few Sundays ago was Reformation Sunday? Yes, I'm sure you did. That was the Sunday before All Hallows Eve, better known as Halloween. Reformation Sunday is in celebration of Martin Luther's nailing the 95 Theses to the Wittenburg church door. You'll remember Luther was protesting the sale of "indulgences" meant to free the newly departed from purgatory to be released to Heaven. Of course, Luther was right - no one has the ability to forgive sins except God, Himself.

Can you imagine the trepidation Martin Luther felt, the struggles he endured, in writing and then posting those 95 Theses. He had to know this was not going to sit well with the Church fathers. Life was immediately going to get interesting. Talk about throwing the gauntlet down; he was announcing to the Church and to the world at large what he thought was wrong with the Church and how it should be fixed.

I was recently privileged to attend a theological educators conference in Turkey. I must admit, I was a little apprehensive. We were a long way from any of the trouble that's been happening over there, but still my mind found a way to conjure up some of the worst images imaginable of "what could happen" while we were there. I'm not the only one. In a Facebook post, one of the conference attendees from that region tried to calm concern by stating that the troubled areas were really quite far away. He concluded, "Looking forward to our time together even if we share a sense of fear and anxiety we are then feeling united with many of our sisters and brothers in many parts of this troubled world." Wow, thanks for the encouragement. Nothing like throwing fuel on the fire!

The truth is that terrorists are just people who traffic in terrorism. Their whole intent is to produce fear. Sounds like another's view, right? Satan wants to make us afraid. He specializes in it. Just to be clear: I believe there is a devil, Lucifer. He has his own minions whose job it is to work to damn each of us, to dissuade us from following after God. He will do all in his power to drive us from God. If that means making us afraid, he'll do so. He's a master at fear. He is a terrorist, the chief of all terrorists. Fear works.

You may not be stepping into a physically unsafe place, but you may be fearful of your circumstances. You may even be telling yourself that you just can't do the task laid out before you. "What if I fail?" "What if I just can't get my head around that task?" "If I fail, I'm washed out. I'm useless. I can't do what God has called me to."

I don't know what Martin Luther experienced by way of fear. However, if you read one of his best known and beloved hymns, you have to wonder. Listen to these words:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
(from Hymnsite.)

Friends, whatever battle you are facing, whatever fear is rising, we are the children of THE great King. We can trust Him. We know this, that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 37-38 NASB)