I find it humorous how tales of old, such as Sir Walter
Scott's Ivanhoe or even Marmion romanticize those shiny fighters; those ruthless knights. How ridiculous. Others turn and dress up the Romans from days
when the Empire was at its zenith. So
why do I embrace Paul's analogy to armor in Ephesians and almost skeptically
scoff at the strong knight?
First, knights were only strong because of their will, their
insistence, and their power. Christians,
however, are to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (vs. 10). True, we could perhaps craft ourselves
brittle coverings like crabs or lobsters, but they serve only to protect our
sinful skin, whilst God's armor not only protects us but advances His name
while showing others His glory.
Every single time I read
this passage, I am enamored by the word whole
in verse 11. Paul says to put on the entire armor. He never said "You'll be fine; all
you'll need is your sword." No, we
need it all. This is, in fact, quite
humbling. Verse 14 states to
"stand", which only makes sense, a hoplite, knight, or soldier cannot put their gear on while sitting (save for shoes; but otherwise it is unheard of). We need
salvation, but even after being saved, we need God's righteousness, peace, and
truth. It is an interrelated web of blessings quite interdependent on one
another.
I may scoff at knights because none of them ever impress me: Ever. Yesterday or today. Realistically of figuratively. It is too bad for them;
although they could probably have cared less. (They probably are not impressed by me...) Regardless, none of the Romans impressed me (the bigots) but the soldiers of faith
do. Soldiers of faith accepted the
entire armor, and, unlike the knights and Romans, who took great delight in
causing more than enough trouble, they faithfully wore the shoes of readiness
of peace. (This is quite convicting; how
often do I run to make a situation peaceful?)
The part I thought the best was the amazing shield of
faith. No knight had ever thought of
this kind of protection. This shield is
actually what helps one endure hardship.
Think of the most high-tech weapon in the world. This defies them all!
Nothing can penetrate it: All opposition does not bounce off it, but is rather
absorbed by it. The shield of faith does
not only ward off the evil, it extinguishes all the flaming darts of the evil one. Not just a certain evil thought or specific action;
but all those darts. No weapon could be
more useful.
The verse I had in mind while writing is verse 18, where
perseverance is mentioned. Lately, I am
barely holding onto my sanity. I may be
exaggerating: I probably am, but life is hard, and though I hate to admit it, I am, sometimes,
tired of giving my all, which is when I slip. I have convictions that, because I am so very stubborn about them, will
not dissipate. The bad part is that I feel stupid for them when they are sound judgments God
has given me. He cares, and I know I am
supposed to follow what he’s laid out. Perseverance,
however, is not mentioned without prayer.
In all things it is imperative that we remain alert in prayer and
supplication. I was fighting being upset at students the other day; people do not think, and sometimes it frustrates me. No one ever really knows, but it's true. I am not going to become
a knight or soldier that feasts day in and day out, losing track of time and
slowly drifting into unconsciousness, which is exactly why I continue serving, questing, helping, writing, reading, standing.
Fellow Christian, as Relient
K so glibly puts it, it’s completely up to us to maintain consciousness;
which is exactly why standing while putting on the whole armor of God is just as
important as alertness in prayer and supplication. You can't sit down and apply this weight.
Stand up while readying, lest you lose this alertness in prayer.
Sources:
The Holy Bible. English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2007. Print.
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