I’ve been singing the opening line of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”… and only those title words because I haven’t memorized the rest. The words are rich and deep, thank you Martin Luther, but for now it’s the opener that’s on repeat. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how God is a strong and mighty fortress.

There is a unique power in verses that you’ve written on your heart and stored away in your memory. One for me is Psalm 46:1-3. It’s one that comes to the surface when times get hard. It’s one that I memorized before I gave my life to Jesus. My mom made my go through Lutheran Confirmation when I was in 8th grade; I think it was more of a social thing for me. Little did I know it was only the beginning of a very rough season in my life.

One of our assignments was to choose a verse and memorize it. I knew very little about the Bible at the time. I remember asking my mentors, my Aunt Margo and Uncle John, for help. For some reason I settled on Psalm 46:1-3.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah“

When I was at Devoted Women’s Conference last month, there was a short video testimony and a woman had shared briefly about a verse that she had memorized years before that had stuck with her. I immediately thought of Psalm 46:1-3. How God was using that verse in my story, throughout my whole life, even before I had believed on Jesus.

I recently completed 40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole. Over the years, it has become my favorite Lent tradition. On one of the days a couple weeks ago, I had to fast from sound for one hour. Which is harder than it seems. I’m not one that enjoys sitting in silence. And I knew I would have to be strategic as my kids and husband were all home.

I was able to sneak away for an hour. I sat with my phone silenced and put away, my Bible and journal open. No distractions. Just the quiet.

God immediately brought to mind Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

It’s another one of those verses for me. One that I memorized early on in my walk with God. One that I taught on a few years ago. One that often comes to the forefront of my mind. A favorite.

The name of our Lord (JESUS) is a strong tower, a castle high above our enemy. We can run to Him, and we are safe.

Especially in this season, I’ve been reflecting on God as our refuge. God our fortress. God our safe place. Below are some hand-selected verses from my quiet hour last month. Is there one that jumps out at you? Maybe you can take some time to write it out, memorize it, and declare it out loud the next time you need a dose of Truth.

“You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm, and a shade from the heat.” – Isaiah 25:4a

“Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” – Zechariah 9:12

“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying ‘Destroy him!'” – Deuteronomy 33:27

“For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” – Psalm 27:5

“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You. In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from the intrigues of men; in Your dwelling You keep them safe from accusing tongues.” – Psalm 31:19-20

“How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house; You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” – Psalm 36:7-9

“In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; turn Your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.” – Psalm 71:1-4

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. ‘Because he loves Me,” says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.'” – Psalm 91

“He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.” – Proverbs 14:26

“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation; my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” – Psalm 18:1-3

❤

Sometimes God has to break down the walls we’ve built around our hearts. Sometimes He has to reduce our strongholds to ruin (Psalm 89:40). Sometimes the walls need to come crashing down, and our manmade strongholds need to be ruined. Our manmade walls shut Him out; our self-sufficiency snuffs out His light. God has a better plan, a better way. He wants to be our refuge and fortress, our ever-present help in this trouble, the One we run to. He wants us to find rest and shelter in Him; He wants to take up occupancy in our hearts.

How we walk through this {trial, valley, water, fire} matters

We know You’re with us / We know the darkness doesn’t stand a chance / We know the light has overcome / We know the enemy’s already defeated

You’re writing our story / You’re making beauty from ashes / What the enemy meant for evil / You’re turning it all for good

Our eyes are fixed on You / Our minds are set on truth / Our hearts are filled with love / Our feet are moved by faith

We choose faith over fear / We choose trust over panic / We choose truth over lies / We choose hope over doubt

Your love is casting out fear / Your goodness calms the storm / Your truth quiets the lies / Your hope is driving the doubt away

This week’s song suggestions:

• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God – Chris Rice
• Shelter In – VOUS Worship
• My Testimony – covered by Jon Wright