God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

            For centuries, these words from Psalm 46 have been a wellspring of comfort and strength to millions. Of the psalm, the great reformer Martin Luther once wrote:

This is a psalm of thanksgiving which the people of Israel sang at that time in response to the miracles of God, who had defended and sustained the city of Jerusalem, where they lived, against the rantings and ravings of all kings and nations, and preserved it in peace against all war and conflict...We sing in praise to God because he is with us - God who miraculously preserves his Word and Christendom against the gates of hell...so that our little spring remains a living fountain.

            Inspired by their words, Luther would go on to compose what has been called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation,” the hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” It expressed Luther’s firm belief in the sovereignty of God in the face of human helplessness over the forces of evil and chaos. Echoing the psalmist’s view that Israel was nothing without her God, Luther wrote, “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.”

            For the Reformer, nothing worthwhile could be done apart from God. Not only is he the source of every breath we take, he is also the very author of our salvation in the person of Jesus Christ.  “Dost ask who that may be?” Luther asked, “Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his Name, from age to age the same; and he must win the battle.” For both Luther and the psalmist, the conviction that we have a Savior and, moreover, that he is the Lord of the Universe, was a source of great hope and encouragement in the midst of overwhelming adversity.

            This is a message we must embrace in these difficult and uncertain times. Over the past several weeks, we have seen the forces of chaos descend upon the global economy, forces over which we have little understanding and little control. Sprung from the seeds of excess and greed, they are the bitter fruits of a wantonness in our society too long left unchecked.

            In response, we as Christians are called first of all to put our trust not principally in human institutions - for they have all too often failed us - but in God, the Lord of all, the Ruler over all things. We need to cast all our anxieties and fears upon him, trusting in his gracious providence. As Psalm 46 affirms, we must “’be still and know that I am God!’”

            This attitude must, second of all, go beyond simple trust and move into the realm of thanksgiving. The month of November, with the Thanksgiving holiday near its end, is the perfect time to live into this mindset. Sometimes when faced with economic stress, we can become more conscious of the things we normally take for granted. A crisis is always also an opportunity, and the opportunity here is for us to take stock of all our many blessings, and to give God thanks.

            Finally, we need to remember that there are always people worse off than we are. And so our trust and thanksgiving must in turn lead us into action, where we reach out a helping hand to those especially hard hit in this present economic climate - even when that means further sacrificing ourselves. At Pohick, we have been and will continue to be in the vanguard of those working to help the poor and needy, as Christ has called us to do. I invite you to join in these ministries, as we partner with LCAC, UCM, Gunston Elementary, and the local shelters in spreading the love of God to these his children.

           “The LORD of Hosts is with us,” concluded the psalmist, “the God of Jacob is our refuge.” After three millennia, these words still ring out hope in troubled times. May they continue to inspire us as we seek to face the many challenges of our day.