The truth of God is a great source of comfort and strength in a world of uncertainty and distress. It keeps on going as it has in ages past and continues to do so today. Several events this last week have made me profoundly grateful for his never ending love.

Last Sunday morning, the church that I work at had the New Testament lesson interrupted by someone proclaiming a message of hatred. He came up to the front of the church spewing forth a message that isn’t consistent at all with the love of Christ. He was escorted out of the church and off the property and the police were notified. This event rattled a number of people including me. I think my organ playing the rest of the service was pretty shaky. Every time the door to the church opened during the rest of the service I jumped. I had always thought of the church as being a safe place and almost all of the time it is fortunately. The rest of the service continued without further interruptions and eventually my nerves quieted down.

One thing that keeps popping up in my head through all of this is the reassuring message of a favorite hymn. The hymn A Mighty Fortress is a powerful reminder of God’s abiding love and never ending strength. There are four verses found in many hymnals and the last two verses are the ones that has been a great source of comfort and strength.

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.

The important message that has been reinforced to me several times is that God’s truth and love abide forever. No matter what else happens, His love and truth never fail. As I’ve thought about the incidents this last week, that is one thing that has been a great assurance and I’ve seen evidence of. I saw it in the several parishoners who stood up and escorted the man out who had interrupted the service. I saw it in fact that the service didn’t end but continued on. I saw the same truth of and assurance in meeting several friends this week.

As troubling as this event was as well as other things that happened this week,  the over arching truth and assurance is there that God is in control and his love and truth will continue to triumph and be a tower of strength that never fails.

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