The Shield of Faith

Sitting in my truck in the church parking lot, with the windows down and the sun shining, I felt a gentle yet constant breeze across my face. I took a moment to reflect on the blessing of knowing the very God who created this beautiful world. It brought to mind the song "What a Wonderful World," sung by the legendary Louis Armstrong. However, as I looked out of my windshield, I was struck by the messy reality before me—my windshield was splattered with bugs and dirt. In that moment, I offered a quick "thank goodness" for windshields and was reminded of the Armor of God, specifically the Shield of Faith mentioned in Ephesians 6:16: "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Each part of the Armor of God is essential, but we particularly need His protection in our daily battles.

As a Christian for many years, I find it difficult to imagine navigating this troubled world without the guidance and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life. Even with Christ by my side, there are times when I feel as though evil is prevailing and that hope is dwindling in my moments of weakness. I recognize my inability to resist the relentless temptations that surround me. During such times, I must reflect on His Word, particularly the verses shared by David in Psalm 18:2-3: "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

I must remind myself that I am not fighting this battle alone; Jesus is with me every step of the way—through each temptation and struggle. He is always present and cares deeply for me. Job understood that despite losing everything, his God remained faithful. Job declared in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

I have ridden many miles on a motorcycle, sometimes without a windshield, and I have experienced the unpleasantness of bugs and dirt hitting my face. However, I have learned that it is much more enjoyable with protection. The same principle applies to our everyday lives. We can choose to forgo His protection, but we will quickly realize that life becomes much messier without it. Therefore, let us pause and give thanks for His protection and strength along our journey.