From the Pastor…
In my sermon for May 24th, I shared a story from the life of Martin Rinkart. Rinkart was called at the age of 31 to pastor a church in his native town Eilenberg, Germany in the wake of Luther’s reformation movement. Unfortunately, Pastor Rinkart arrived just as the 30 Years War broke out (1618 – 1648). That war would provide the context of his ministry.
Eilenberg became a refuge for political and military fugitives, and Rinkart opened his home to help the afflicted. With armies coming and going, the city suffered from pestilence and famine, the worst being the plague. At its height, Rinkart was the only minister left in the city, conducting up to 50 funerals daily. Even more amazing, he was able to write 66 hymns on biblical themes such as gratitude to God in our response to God’s goodness, grace and love.
A colleague put me on to Rinkart in a newsletter he sent me from the Foundation for Reformed Theology to which I belong. He reflected on the fact that here was a man who cared for others, who lived his faith; but also, a man who suffered through terrible years of destruction, disease and death. Here was a man who pleaded for the well-being of his people before oppressors. Here was a man so touched by grace and gratitude to write “Now Thank We All Our God”!
The hymn hints at some of the hardship Rinkart knew, but the hardship readily gives way to the “countless gifts of love” in the first stanza. Here is the 2nd:
O may this bounteous God thro’ all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills in this world and the next.
Our faith is built on the affirmation of God’s grace in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. Naturally, the Christian’s response to such awesome grace is gratitude. Rinkart’s hymn captures this rhythm between grace and response as it shapes faith and life within the spiritual communion of the church, especially in the midst of difficult and adverse times. Grace grows our gratitude for those who have given so much, those whose ultimate sacrifice served to preserved our freedom, and for those like Rinkart whose courage and faith inspire us.
I share this, as did my friend with me, because we are being called to keep faith in the midst of difficult and adverse times, times that may test the faithful. Your church needs you as much now as before this crisis. She needs your continuing prayers and your expressions of gratitude for God’s grace. The vicissitudes we are experiencing may affect our budgeted ministry plans in the coming months, but your ongoing commitment can assuage any concerns we might have for future ministry and mission. I thank you, and Now Thank We All Our God!
I leave you with these words my friend in Christ also shared: To live without gratitude and graciousness…must be hellish. Lord, help us! May the Lord bless you and keep you in grace.