A Mighty Fortress is our God By Gary Andrews [email protected]
Thisyearof2020startedwith greatness.Ournationwasstrong, and our economy was good; then suddenly, we are mesmerized with a pandemic called Covid-19.
The virus has spread throughout the world and has driven our country to its knees. The people of this nation and of the world, are panic-stricken. Many policies are put in place to try and curb the spreadofthedisease.Manycompanies and businesses are closed, and employees have lost their jobs with little hope of returning to work immediately. People are scared and seemuncertainaboutthefuture.
The government steps up with financial packages to aid the suffering. Our elected leaders started playing a game of political ping pong while some people were in dire straits and hurting. As sinful as this world is, many of the population were depending on man to straighten this problem out, but Christians knew it would be up to God to see us through.
Churches were told they could not meet in large group settings and were limited to ten or less for a few weeks. Live streaming was available through the internet and thelocalradiocarriedtheservices.
I believe that more people tuned into these type services more so than they would have going to a building to worship the Lord. The ones that attended church services regularly missed the interaction with other Christians but overcame the delay by patiently waiting and praying that our Almighty God would eliminate the virus. Many non-Christians and people of the world were reached through the air waves because the government and man had shut down most of everyone’s everyday life.
In a way the virus became reminiscence of the Protestant Reformation started by Martin Luther in 1517. Luther broke away from the Roman Catholic Church with many stormy disputes with the Pope and church leaders. His movement was to bring congregational singing inside the church. He said that sacred music is a gift and grace of God. He wrote many songs but themostpowerfulhymnhewrote was ‘A Mighty Fortress is our God,’basedonPsalm46.Verse10 of this great Psalm says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Over the years this song has been sung by many. Armies have sung it when going into battle, people in need have sung it during theirdesperatetimesknowingthat God is our fortress to hide us and protect us, because His Word endures foreverandwillfightforus.
I have copied the first lines of verses one and three and these are words that should never leave us. These words should always be on our lips because God is our Rock and our Salvation.
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
And through this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.
As we went through these times of Covid-19 our nation and world were turned upside down by this dreadful disease. People ran from it and our leaders did not know exactly how to handle it until we turned our attention back to God and allowed Him to lead us through it. Just as Luther and his understudieswentthroughthereformation of years ago, we will look backonthishorrificdiseaseandunderstand that God is in charge and willseeusthroughanyofourproblems ifwelistentoHim.
Ifeelthatmanypeoplecameto know God personally in their lives becauseoftheuncertaintythatthe world was throwing at us. With Jesus as your Rock and Deliverer nothingcanevertakeyoudownbecause this earth is not your home. Eternal life with Him is His promise tousifweaskHimtoforgiveus ourmanysinsandclingtoHim.
Prayer: Thank you Lord Jesus for you love. Thank you for yourpromiseofeternallifedespite whatillswefaceonearth.Amen.
