Matt Maher – “Mighty Fortress” (Devotional)

I was driving down to Atlanta from Nashville in AugustΓǪ.and a melody came to my headΓǪalong with the phrase, “You are our salvation; our stronghold, our strength; You are our foundation, mighty fortress is Your name. Obviously that really isn’t a name of God, but that’s how ideas sometimes start – as abstract phrases and melodiesΓǪ.it eventually turned into the song, “Mighty Fortress.”

 On the onset, it’s rather strange that a Catholic would write a song with the title and phrase, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” in it. One might find it hard to reconcile the two. 

Of course, I’m referring to the Hymn written by Martin Luther. I did not realize that it was considered the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation:” I just saw it as a Hymn about God being our refuge in times of trouble; against “powers and principalities”ΓǪΓǪ

Here we are, 500 years after the reformation, and now we find ourselves in an increasingly secular society that is not only dismissive of the Gospel; it is increasingly hostile towards it. How do we move forward and remain secure? How do we stand firm in our beliefs and love of God and neighbor? By standing in the faithfulness of our God; by letting Him be our shield. In fact, we stand firm by letting God be God. By bearing witness that He is a refuge for the weak, so maybe we shouldn’t so much hide our weaknesses, but as St. Paul says, we boast in them. We boast in the fact that we our not our own refuge – rather, He is.