A Mighty Fortress is Our God
The whole world has gone mad. It has become an insane asylum and the grossest, most dangerous of its inmates are in charge. It is not the “wild animals” that pose the greatest threat to the planet; it is the reasoning creature with the opposable thumb that should be the most feared. The human is the culprit which is bent on seizing power, to seize entire world and make slaves of everyone.
Mankind spends most of his waking hours striving, either with great purpose or by subconscious directive, to establish or create a secure environment for itself. They do this in response to one sure and certain knowledge; that which one may may devise another man may destroy. It is a constant battle. There is no perfect safety in the world. Yet man’s days, hours and years are spent in vain, attempting to create a foundation on which he may build the perfect fortress.
In the middle ages every castle built was designed with one idea in mind. It was to be an impenetrable fortress. Yet, one by one they were conquered. Even the great Gibraltar which held out for centuries eventually fell. Martin Luther, one of the reformation leaders, composed a hymn entitled “Eine Feste Berg” or in English “A Mighty Fortress.”
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 through 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.
This is the only secure defense one may find against all adversaries in this world: “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer your foot to be moved: he that keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper: the LORD is a shade upon your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil: he shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Psalm 121).
“O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit” (Jeremiah 16:19).
“Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress” (Psalms 71:3).
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