Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk
Thank God! ears ago, I met a joyful older woman who had suffered greatly throughout her lifetime. Her “secret” to remaining joyful? Worship God! I took her advice to heart and choose to worship God in spite of how I might feel sometimes. Personally, I am a lover of old hymns and have often turned to them in troubled times. During this bizarre season, one hymn in particular stands out. “Now Thank We All Our God” was written by Martin Rinkart in 1637, by far the most
disastrous year of his life, when his small town of Eilenburg experienced war, famine, and plague. Rinkart’s wife died, as did thousands of his parishioners—with Rinkart conducting all their funerals. The words to the hymn he composed in the midst of this are haunting, and they challenge us to worship God no matter what: Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices; Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
6 // November 2020
NOW? In the midst of suffering? THANK GOD? How could Rinkart offer gratitude during the tragedy he endured? I can only attribute this to an intense and purposeful obedience to Scriptures like the following: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). I want to be someone who rejoices in my sufferings (which are, relatively speaking, quite light) and give thanks in my circumstances because thankfulness and joy are what God wants for me, and I know He wants the best for me. I want perseverance resulting in great character and, out of great character, to be a man of courageous hope. What an upward calling we have in Christ! May we truly pursue it. God give us the grace to be like Martin Rinkart, who had an astounding level of hope and joy in the midst of unspeakable difficulty. God help us to be like the older woman I met who had suffered intensely but was still filled with joy because she maintained a life of worshiping God no matter what came her way. Wherever you are, and whatever you are going through, I encourage you to worship with all you have, and I leave you with the words of Rinkart’s second stanza: O may this bounteous God through 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! About The Author
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by Adam Whitescarver
Adam Whitescarver is executive director at the Chattanooga House of Prayer (ChattHOP), a non-profit ministry dedicated to growing the local church in prayer, unity, and evangelism. Last year, ChattHOP facilitated over 200 prayer meetings in the metro area, and conducted nearly 100 seminars and retreats on prayer. Adam and his family live in the North Georgia area.
