Four centuries ago Martin Rinkert became the minister of his hometown parish in Eilenburg, Germany. A year later the Thirty Years War broke out and Eilenburg was caught in the middle. In the midst of it a massive plague swept across Europe and in Eilenburg over eight thousand people died. Martin was the man who had to bury most of them, including his own wife. He died one year after the war ended. His ministry spanned thirty-two years, all but the first and the last overwhelmed by war and plague. But he’s best remembered as the man who wrote that great hymn: ‘Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices; who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices.
It takes a great spirit to come through hardship and still express gratitude. But that’s what faith does for us.