This morning, as I drink my coffee, I give thanks for you with every sip. Last Sunday, for Pastor Appreciation, you presented Laura and me with beautiful mugs, candles and a sweet treat tucked inside. My mug has the words from Isaiah 43:2 on it: When you go through deep waters, I’ll be with you.” As I watch the rain fall on the first day of Fall Festival, I have to believe that God going to see us through the rain to better days. And when the storms are from within, be it body or soul, God will see us through. Thank you for thinking of me and Laura and loving us with your support and prayers and beautiful, sweet and meaningful gifts.
As you read this, we will have sung “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” during traditional worship. The words and music were written by Martin Luther and the translation in our hymnal is by Frederic Henry Hodge. Today, we sing it in celebration of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation that paved the way for the theological development of John Wesley. The music and the words are powerful messages of God’s power and might over all that threatens us, including all the evils of Satan.
I think Job would have appreciated the thundering majesty of a hymn that declares that God will overcome ALL evil, discord and misery. As goodness is restored to Job’s life in chapter 42, we can see Job’s faith in God’s power and mercy even when he did not understand everything he was going through. Sometimes, we adults are scared and anxious, and it is good to remember that we already know who wins: GOD!
That’s a good word for children too. As much as they may like the candy involved, Halloween is very scary for some children. This is a good opportunity to help them understand that God is greater than any of our fears, even the imaginary ones. As the psalm says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
Psalm 46 inspired Martin Luther to write “A Mighty Fortress.” He appreciated the power of music and once wrote, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our thoughts, minds, hearts and spirits… A person who…does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God… does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but …the grunting of hogs.” He was a man of many talents, and sometimes he was blunt and brash, but he was brave as he trusted God to lead him through times of great turmoil.
Faithfully,
Pastor Scarlett