A Mighty Fortress...

One of the most famous hymns in Lutheran tradition is an old favorite called "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."  Written by Martin Luther in the late 1520's, it is a hymn which brings one to the very foot of the cross.  It's dark lyrics supported by the tremulous and heavy melody, it sends shivers down the back as you read through the words leading us into battle against Satan and his followers.  It was intended to spur to heavenly battle the defenders of the true faith against the forces of evil that were about in the world.

But those forces weren't just lurking in the 16th century, or 2000 years ago at Golgotha.  We must guard our hearts and minds against those who do us harm today, just as Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan in his ministry so long ago.

There are obvious evil doers, of course.  It is easy to identify the terrorists or the mass murderers of the world as part of Satan's army.  But there are many less obvious evil doers, as well, and it is those people who are to be most greatly feared, because they come incognito, stealthy and filled with hidden deception.

We have all experienced the devastation of a relationship gone wrong.  The person you believed in, trusted, poured your love into, only to have them turn on you and become your nemesis, someone to fear or despise.  When they know your biggest secrets, they are also your greatest enemy.  Satan loves a battle, and turning lovers into haters is his specialty.

Too often children throw spears into the heart of their parents with their actions or their behavior.  Parents disappoint us, friends fail us, siblings are absent when we need them most, neighbors let us down, colleagues pick petty battles over insignificant minutiae that shouldn't matter.

But we are human, and everything matters, when it is important to us.  Life can be overwhelming.  The world moves at a rapid pace, and it can be difficult to catch your breath sometimes.  We are inundated with images and stories from across the globe of the tragedies evil spawns.  In the face of such unimaginable darkness, it is easy to get lost in negativity and hurt.

But that is not God's plan for us.  He has provided a shelter, a safe haven, a fortress against the arrows thrown at us by the world.  In Psalm 91:2 we read,

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Those are not idle words.  They are a promise and a threat.  God has promised those who trust and follow him a true refuge, for all eternity.  When we are in heaven, we will never be vulnerable to Satan's evil again.

And for Satan, it is a threat that whoever finds comfort and safety in the shelter of God's fortress is invulnerable, unassailable, forever safe.

Evil is frightening.  Satan sends constant temptation our way.  Our desire to hate, to be unforgiving, to give less grace than we expect to receive, to act in hurt or hate rather than love, can be very difficult to resist.  But the momentary satisfaction when we act in haste is but a drop in the bucket compared to the aftermath of an ill advised action.  When Satan is your answer, there are no winners.

I will always rest my spirit in the refuge of my God's protection.  I am weak, but he is strong.  Jesus loves me, and he will protect my mind, my heart and my soul from anything Satan throws at me.  It is the legacy of the cross, and of God's unending grace.