By: Pastor Al
When I was a child, we had a lilac bush in front of our house. At this time of early spring, I longed for it to bloom, not only to see the beauty of the flowers but especially to smell them. To me, there are yet few things that can rival the fragrance of fresh lilacs. That fragrance was such a welcome contrast on a farm with animals where the predominant smell in early spring was the odor of manure, especially when there were piles of it to spread from its accumulation during the winter. What a delight to the olfactory senses to sniff the fragrance of lilacs!
This reminds me of one of our favorite hymns and the historical context in which it was written. The place was Eilenburg, Germany, and the time was mid-seventeenth century, around a hundred years after the onset of the Protestant Reformation.
From 1618 to 1648 central Europe was embroiled in a bitter and violent war that involved ten nations. This conflict is called The Thirty Years War. It began as a clash between Catholics and Protestants. At that time the ideas of freedom of religion and the separation of church and state were foreign concepts to the people of Europe. The reins of government were held by royal families who often ruled at the behest of church authorities. Consequently, they would not tolerate competing religious affiliations.
“And to add to the misery from the war, diseases spread among the people.”
Politics and religion were entangled together, and the power of the sword was wielded against religious opponents. Eventually, the conflict was predominantly driven by political motives. One country tried to suppress and subdue another, always at the great cost of human life and untold destruction of property. And to add to the misery from the war, diseases spread among the people, typhus being the main one which was especially contagious and deadly. Famine also came as a result of all the mayhem. Historians estimate that eight to twelve million people died during this period. The stench of death was everywhere, and the misery suffered by millions was indescribable.
Just before the Thirty Years War broke out, a young pastor of only thirty-one years old by the name of Martin Rinkart, came to minister to a flock in Eilenburg. Though the son of a poor copper smith, he was highly educated. He was highly gifted with musical and speaking talents and had a large pastoral heart, all of which came to unusual expression during the war years.
“[Rinkart’s] food supply and other goods were frequently robbed, but even then he shared the food he had with those suffering from the famine.”
He expended great energy to help his people who were suffering from the miseries of war and disease. He lodged soldiers in his house. His food supply and other goods were frequently robbed, but even then he shared the food he had with those suffering from the famine.The famine became so severe that groups of people would fight in the streets for a dead cat or dead crow.
Since Eilenburg was a walled city, many refugees from surrounding areas took refuge there putting an unbearable burden on the city. In 1637 the plague was especially severe, claiming the lives of thousands. Other clergy from Eilenburg either died or fled, which left Martin alone. That year he presided at the burials of four thousand people, at times fifty per day, one of whom was his own wife. By the mercy of God, he remained well but was often exhausted.
Martin Rinkart was a hymn writer, and we may wonder what kind of hymn he would write in these dreadful times. We might expect him to compose a song that would express profound grief and implore God for His mercy. But instead, he wrote a hymn of warm thanksgiving and praise to God.
“It seems to me that he must have had an exceptional spiritual awareness of the goodness of God.”
It became one of the church’s most beloved hymns: “Now Thank We All Our God.” How could he do this under such horrible circumstances? It seems to me that he must have had an exceptional spiritual awareness of the goodness of God. He saw what most people are blind to, that God’s goodness and mercy do follow His children all the days of their lives, in spite of how bad conditions may be. (I wonder if there was a lilac bush in Eilenburg which reminded him of God’s goodness.)
Martin also knew of the victory achieved by Christ’s death and resurrection and that God’s people will dwell forever in God’s house, the new creation beyond the reach of sin and death. This was the sweet aroma Martin Rinkart smelled by faith even as the strong stench of death filled the air around him. How indebted we are to him for capturing some of that sweet aroma in his hymn and giving to the church so she may use it, even in hard times, to lift a fragrant hymn of praise to the glory of God.
“But may God give us eyes to see evidence of His goodness in spite of our hardship.”
These are difficult times for us, and they are especially hard to those who are struggling with other distressing circumstances. But may God give us eyes to see evidence of His goodness in spite of our hardship. Let us glory in the cross and resurrection of Jesus, and rejoice in the hope when all things will be made new. I would encourage us to sing or meditate on Rinkart’s hymn. Sing it as a solo if you live alone, or sing it around your dining room table for family worship. May it rise to God as a sweet-smelling fragrance of praise and subdue any feelings of discontent.
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.