17 January 2013

Diving Deeper – Shields

Greetings Dear Reader,

Faith is imaged by Paul as a shield.  I have been pondering how often we use other things as shields instead of faith.  How many times have I used the wrong thing to protect me from the wrong enemies?

The shield that Paul speaks of in Ephesians is a tower shield.  The Greek word refers to a large four cornered shield shaped like a door.  The Romans knew how to use these very effectively.   If this is the image of what I am to use as protection from my enemies it bears some pondering.  It is also significant that Paul tells us that this action of using a shield of faith is “above all” his other instructions.

We cannot hope to stand without the protection of faith.  We try to endure the world with other things as our protection.  We try to withstand evil with politics, opinions, and debate.  We try to make laws to put forth our particular moral views.  As a follower of Christ my protection is my faith or better, my faith is my protection.

How can I hope to withstand the evil in the world without it?  If I do not have a deep faith then my protection is lessened.  Since Jesus is both the author and completer of our faith it is in following him that faith is deepened.  When I count on anything outside of Christ for my protection it will surely fail me.

I have done this too often.  I have looked to men, books, and traditions to bolster my faith.  The shield can only be made stronger by the armorer.  The creator of faith is Jesus.  If this sounds disjointed I apologize but it is hard to not be simplistic here and the simplicity sounds well, too simple.  I suppose that is why faith is also to be like that of a child.

Deeper faith means a larger stronger shield.  I can only obtain that by following Christ more closely  and more consistently.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."

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