PENTECOST XXI
REFORMATION SUNDAY
October 22, 2023

“Our Refuge and Strength . . .  A Mighty Fortress”
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
     Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, 
          though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
     though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”   Psalm 46:1-3

“A mighty fortress is our God,  A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod   And wins salvation glorious.”
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”, Stanza 1

     Next week, Lutherans around the world will observe Reformation Sunday, commemorating the life and work of Martin Luther and many reformers.  We have been given a remarkably rich heritage of insight, inspiration, and scholarship, that continue to strengthen and reassure us in times of conflict and uncertainty. 
     The timeless qualities of Psalm 46 and the hymn it inspired, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” have provided strength and comfort to Christians for five centuries.  It doesn’t matter that there are references to swords and shields, or even to the archaic-sounding term of a fortress.  The image of big, thick stone walls protecting us from whatever is on the other side continues to give Christians a sense of safety and security.  A 21st-century version of describing God’s protection as an impenetrable firewall or an un-hackable file, may be lacking in poetic phrasing, but in 500 years, who knows?  The image of people clicking away on computer keyboards will probably be amusingly old-fashioned. 
     We are assured that because God is with us, we will not fear, in spite of a changing earth or the man-made chaos of nations and kingdoms.  Notice that the psalmist says “we will not fear.”  He doesn’t say we shouldn’t fear, or we don’t need to fear — he says unequivocally that we will not fear.  It sounds very much like an order, but it’s actually a solid promise to God’s people in the face of every kind of disaster we might face.
     As we read the words of “A Mighty Fortress”, there’s a description of the champion who comes to fight for us, “The Lord of Hosts is he! Christ Jesus, mighty Lord, God’s only Son, adored.”  (Stanza 2)  The theme continues, affirming that we have nothing to fear — the world’s evil cannot overpower us.  Our souls are safe, protected by our heavenly Father.  The tone may sound militant, but again the message is that of of strength and confidence in God’s protection against an aggressor, 
     Stanza 4 closes the hymn on a distinctively personal note.  Luther reiterates that God’s word abides forever, and God himself fights by our side, but then he speaks of the very real dangers and sacrifices facing those who remain faithful and committed to their beliefs.  
 “Were they to take our house,  Goods, honor, child, or spouse,  
     Though life be wrenched away,  They cannot win the day.  
     The Kingdom’s ours forever!”     (Stanza 4)
     The forces of evil are everywhere and in many forms, and there’s no denying that our homes, our families, even our personal honor can be taken from us.  But these earthly forces still cannot win.  By God’s grace through faith, we are given entry into God’s Kingdom, and nothing can prevent it.  May we carry the assurance of these words of strength and promise into our troubled world.

Secure and protected by God’s own Word,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers