LBW 230, “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word”
Devotion
Today we commemorate Martin Luther, for whom the Word of God was life. In his early years as a monk, it was punishing to him. The God he knew then was angry and vindictive.
But in studying Romans 1:16-17, the grace of God came to him full force and dramatically changed his life. He came to understand that God’s saving righteousness supplanted human righteousness. Of that insight he wrote, “This immediately made me feel as though I had been born again, and as though I had entered through open gates to paradise itself. From that moment, I saw the whole face of scripture in a new light.”
Europe was in danger of invasion from the east when Luther wrote today’s hymn. The text expresses yearning for God’s protection in times of trouble and suffering, making a powerful claim for the centrality of scripture in revealing the love of Christ.
Prayer
Lord, guard us in the midst of our troubles, keeping us steadfast in your love. Amen.