Shoulder to Shoulder

August 6, 2015

In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells us to "take up the shield of faith, with which we are able to quench all the fiery darts of the Evil One." These words that come in the midst of his mini sermon on spiritual warfare offer a hint to an important insight. Paul was a citizen of the 1st century Roman Empire and as such, was familiar with things of which we know little today. The Roman soldier utilized two different kinds of shields, the aspis--a small, rounded shield that was strapped to the left arm to be used in close hand-to-hand fighting, and the scutum or thureon, a large, cylindrical shield made of wood or metal and covered with leather that though less maneuverable, provided greater protection. It is this shield St. Paul references in Ephesians.

In close battle formation, the Roman soldier would hold his shield in front of him, covering about two-thirds of his body, and about one-third of the soldier next to him. This battle formation was all but invincible as the legion moved as one body into battle. No soldier was entirely on his own. They fought together, and in that unity found greater strength than had they merely fought as individuals.

This afternoon I received a call from our granddaughter Alex, who is in Uganda. The young woman with whom she is working hasn't been feeling well, and went to the clinic only to discover that she has contracted both malaria and typhoid. I immediately contacted the prayer chain, and we now have a legion of people praying for Aly. Years ago a member of the little church I pastored became deathly ill. It took months for her to recover, and when she did, she gave testimony at church. "I was so sick I couldn't even pray for myself," she said, and added, "I needed your prayers then, and thank you for them now."

I don't know if Aly is so sick she cannot pray, but I know that in this battle, she is not alone. We close rank, covering her with our shields of faith and prayer, quenching the fiery darts of the Evil One before whom, were Aly all alone, would be vulnerable. This is why what I and others do is important. Everything is connected spiritually, and if I fail in faith and holiness, I leave a gap through which the Enemy is able to attack. So I am praying tonight, not only for Aly, but for myself and the others who stand by her, that we would hold our shields firmly before us, protecting this servant of the Lord who right now is wounded and vulnerable. The Enemy shall not pass because we are engaging him in the strength of Christ who has won the victory through his death and resurrection. All hail the power of Jesus' Name!