The Shield of Faith

There are times in our lives where we feel we are most alone, most vulnerable, and most fragile. It is in these times when we feel everything, think over everything, assess everything, critique everything, and summing everything we did, judge ourselves worthless. Then the question of faith comes into the picture. What is the difference between faith and delusion? This is the question asked in our generation, consciously or not. Amidst the changes of science and of philosophy, the 21st century mindset has shunned God and sought personal glorification.

Psychology drives a person into thinking that he should seek higher goals, attain greater things, and live his life to the fullest he can, by his own hands, with the help of people he loves, and live for the improvement of society as a whole. The Bible on the other hand, teaches that we should first be weak, to be strong; be poor in order to gain riches; to die, in order to live.These things are eternal truths that have been hidden in the back-shelves of our minds, hearts, and spirit.

My heart grieves for the world, and me being in it. Why is it so hard to lay everything down and just accept God, Jesus! as Lord and Savior? Why do we often think and use our own foolish intellect to fathom God's? Why do we have to guard our hearts against Jesus instead of offering it to the One Who gave it to us? Are we that full of ourselves?

In Ephisians, Paul talks of God's Armor:

¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Sta

nd your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

~Ephesians 6:10-18, NLT

Here we can see the shield of faith that God wants us to arm ourselves with, to cover and protect us so as to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Satan's arrows shoot at us daily, confusing us, causing pain, suffering, and discord among us. The enemy lurks at our weakest and lowest point and the starts aiming and shooting at us with great accuracy. We should therefore remember that the only thing that can save us from the missile of the serpent is faith and at all cost, this faith should never be shaken.

We may think that we should put on the saving faith we have in Christ, never relinquishing it and sustaining it daily with His Word (What good is a shield without a sword right?:D ). Yes that can be one understanding of it.

I recently read a commentary about Psalm 91 that gave me an insight, by the grace of God, to another viewpoint regarding this. Let me quote the verse in mind:

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

~Psalm 91:4, NLT

Here the psalmist delivers God's promise of protection. Whose faithfulness is our shield? It is God's. I would like to think that in our struggles and trials, as we carry alongside us the shield of faith, it is God's blessed assurance of His faithfulness that we arm ourselves with. I would like to think that instead of our own growing faith, it is God Himself in His faithfulness that protects us from the arrows of the devil and keeps us safe in His Divine care.

Our lives are indeed full of difficult situations where we can easily put God second-place in our life. Our faith wavers during adversity. But God's faithfulness is firm and unshakable. He is always there for us, on time and not a second too late. Of course our faith in Him is of great value. And I also think that it should always be all about God, and how He cares for those He has set apart for His own purpose and glory.

Today is Good Friday. Praise be to God for the Cross at Calvary and the forgiveness of our sins when He said, "It is finished!"

The Transcendent Almighty, God of Our Fathers

At this moment, I followed the Word of our Lord literally in Psalms 46:10, when He said Be still, and know that I am God. Today I was still. I stilled my mind and opened my heart to the wonders tha,t in my silent calm before my God, revealed. In this state I was in, I realized that God is UNCHANGING, and will REMAIN as how He was, carrying over His character, to be how He is now, and further into the future, He maintains the same character as to be what He will be. He is the only constant. Unyielding before the changes of time, and the progress of human thought.

The same God, the God of Moses, Isaac and Jacob, The deliverer of Daniel, My God, the Lion of Judah, The Most High God, One and the same as He who was worshiped in Biblical times, the same God of my grandparents, and great grandparents. The God whom my Lola clung to all her life for hope and providence. The same God that my Father prayed to for grace and mercy. This same God, is now the Lord of my life and the Master of my soul.

What my predecessors have done in faith, I am now doing. What my parents and grandparents meant when they speak of God as Master, I now learn to understand. The joy they felt after each and every blessing, I now so too cherish. The same struggles they had of seeking His Face and learning to keep close by His side, the miracle of experiencing His faithfulness, mercy and love first-hand, and the sheer joy of being able to dwell in God and God dwelling in me, all these things I now undergo, everyday without fail.

He is indeed the same. The God that transcends and controls the very construct of time and the entire universe. The deliverer of the Jews from Pharoah, now is the same Deliverer Who saved me from the shackles of sin and death, and provided for me a plan with which he set me apart from everyone else, and, for His Holy purpose, instilled in me the qualities perfect for just such an endeavor. Amazing God!

Truly He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. And if ever you feel like He's not, look at His people in Christ who have gone before you, those who have lived through a ripe wizened age, and those who are struggling for His will and plan just like yourself. I did, and indeed it did not fail to strengthen my faith in Him. The faithful who went ahead are still used by God as examples of His love. Praise be to God who understands all things and is wisest over all.

I will trust in His Word, and follow His prompting through His Spirit within me. I am not as wise as God is, therefore I entrust my steps under the shadow of His Wings, for He is faithful and just to do as He says.

"²⁸And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

²⁹For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

³⁰and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.."

~Romans 8:28

The veracity of His unchanging way is the power and beauty of His Word. He is truth incarnate. Faithful to his commands and promises. Hallelujah!

Amen.