Armor

Ancient armies had two types of shields. A large shield was carried in one hand for full body protection. An army could huddle together and raise these shields over their heads as a defensive barrier when fiery arrows were falling from the sky. The shield carried in the other hand was smaller and used for hand-to-hand combat or personal safety when rocks were hurled from the top of city walls. For the believer, God is our shield.

“Be a light!” That’s what Beth Ann Schaeber said to her boys every day. Before she dropped them off at a friend’s house or their sporting event or when they walked out the door to go to school, “Be a light!” was the last thing they heard. They responded, “Shine bright!” Beth Ann knew that she was sending her kids into a dark world. She knew that they had been called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light to reflect the light of Jesus. The apostle Paul gave us the same challenge.

The armor of God includes a shield as an essential piece of equipment. This shield is needed to “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). The believer’s shield is not constructed with wood like the ones that the Roman soldiers carried. Our shield is built with faith.

A cultural Christian with a half-hearted commitment to Christ is not going to run up against much spiritual resistance. And even when they do, like the Israelites before Goliath, they will turn tail and run. But if you are serious about following hard after Jesus, get ready for the battle. The enemy is actively working to make you fail and fall. So, arm yourself!

I like to think of Ecclesiastes as Solomon’s journal. He is reflecting over a long life and clearly communicating that without God, life doesn’t make sense. We live under the sun but need an over the sun perspective for things to fit together.