PRESSURE!

That’s Wartburg Castle in the distance, one of the best-preserved castles in Germany, located on a 1200-ft cliff overlooking Eisenach. It was built in the 11th century by Duke Ludwig of Thuringia, on someone else’s land. Apparently this enterprising guy had soil transported from his own property to the top of the mountain in order to swear that the castle was built on “his own ground”.

Of particular interest to Christians all over, and Protestants in particular, is the fact that Martin Luther stayed in Wartburg Castle. Having been excommunicated by the Pope in 1520 for his recalcitrant Reformation activities, Luther added fuel to the fire when he refused to recant his “heresies” at the Diet (Parliament) of Worms in May 1521. Fearing for his safety, his well-wishers had him “kidnapped” and transported to Wartburg where he remained for about 10 months (1521–1522), incognito, letting his hair grow, and adopting a pseudonym (“Knight George”).

But letting his hair grow did not equate with Luther’s letting his hair down and taking it easy. As a matter of fact, these months of intense pressure were perhaps his most productive. By any reckoning, his translation of the New Testament to German was a tour de force. And he did it entirely at Wartburg. In just 11 weeks. (Yes, eleven! Yes, weeks!) The Greek New Testament has about 138,000 words. That works out to about 1,800 words translated into German a day. All that amidst the torments of solitude, discouragement, fear, weariness, and illness. He is also alleged to have had his inkpot-thrown-at-the-devil episode in the Castle. Pressure of all kinds. And if you consider that the product of his translation did for the German language what the King James Version did for English, not to mention what it did for the Reformation, that single-handed endeavor by Knight George was an incredible, unparalleled feat par excellence. Production under pressure.

Maybe that’s why God puts us under pressure. For fruit production!

Consider it all joy,
my brethren, when you
encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing
of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance
have its perfect result,
so that you may be
perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
James 1:2–4

Seasons of pressure give us no occasion to trust in our own capacities, capabilities, cleverness, and craftiness. These are times when we are almost down and out. These are the days when we are thrown upon God’s feet, trusting in Him alone. The dog days when God’s power is manifest, producing in us its fruit.

And [the Lord] has said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is perfected
in weakness.”
Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast
about my weaknesses,
so that the power
of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore I am well content
with weaknesses,
with insults, with distresses,
with persecutions,
with difficulties,
for Christ's sake;
for when I am weak,
then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9–10

There is yet another kind of product that comes out of pressure … should we persevere through it.

In this you greatly rejoice,
even though now
for a little while, if necessary,
you have been distressed
by various trials,
so that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold
… may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6–7

Eternal reward! So let us run, with perseverance,

… fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of faith,
who for the joy set before Him,
endured the cross ….
Hebrews 12:2