When I was a very little girl there was a show that came on early every Sunday morning around 6am. Being an early riser then, as I still am today, I remember getting up....and this was the dawn of television as well as the dawn of the day....and turning the TV on to one of the three channels that came into our RCA black and white set. The show, without fail, that I chose was called "Davy and Goliath". It was a program about a boy named Davy and his trusty dog named Goliath, that's all I knew back then. I never realized that it had anything to do with the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. There was always a moral to the story on that show and it wasn't lost on me.
There was a melody that always played at the beginning and end of the show, but I never knew the name of it and it was only the melody and not the words. It was not until after I started, of my own accord, going to a Baptist church in my early twenties, that I heard that tune again, this time with words. In a most surreal moment I was transported back to six years old again. For a minute I couldn't figure out where I had heard the song before and then I did. The song I was singing in the congregation of this small country church was the same song that I had heard on TV so many years ago. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. A few stray tears escaped as God made me so aware of His love and care for me all those years ago and how He had brought me full-circle in my life. This has happened several times at different junctures of my life.
Later, I would sing this song to my grandson as I rocked him to sleep each day. The line "let goods and kindred go" seemed to stand out to me at that time and I wondered about it. It was so severe. In my present circumstance I understand it much better.
If you haven't noticed, my blog postings of late have taken a more melancholy turn. I'm sorry for the reader on this but I am not good at being anything than what I am. I AM somewhat melancholy these days. Not all the time but enough. If I ever needed medication, as my mother seems to insist that I do, it probably would be right now. I don't plan to go in that direction however. I tried Prozac for a few months a number of years ago and it did nothing but flatline me and make me lose 40 pounds (okay....okay....so THAT part was good! *smirk*). At this point, I've already lost enough weight on my own and all I need is to start sleeping all the time, like I did then (and my husband has repeatedly said he did not like) when I need MORE energy, not less. As the song Amazing Grace says, through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come.......with His help I can do this too. I admit to being sad sometimes.....wouldn't anyone be? Isn't it NORMAL to be sad at times in this harsh world? I think it is.
Here are the words to this very hymn that many people sing in a lilting voice on Sunday morning.......to me they do not bespeak a church service in a comfified padded pew...they are life and light to me when all around me my ancient foe doth seek to work me woe.
This, my dear friends, is why I trust Him. He has made darkness His secret place and I trust Him even when I can't see two steps in front of me. Maybe more then than ever. Definitely more then than ever.
Love you all,
POH
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
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.
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