Protection Through Bricks and Mortar, Sword and Shield
As we all know, a church is so much more than bricks and mortar. However, the façade of the building does have intrinsic value because it provides shelter from the elements. Our current church building has stood tall for 60-plus years, fortified by cement blocks and covered by bricks and mortar, giving us a feeling of safety and security in the fortress that surrounds us.
However, I learned recently that the bricks on the education wing, which is just 35 years old, are not as strong. In fact, they have been deteriorating over time to the point where the faces of some of the bricks are splitting off and falling to the ground. I don’t want to be an alarmist, but I know that whenever there is a threat to the exterior, there is an inherent risk to the interior.
It’s the same with our spiritual journey! When we are threatened by outside forces, we need to have some sort of mechanism to protect our inner selves so that we can be shielded from the evil that surrounds us.
The Book of Ephesians addresses this dilemma with a familiar passage that advises us to “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, [we] may stand [our] ground.”
The passage then goes on to say, “stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around [our] waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with [our] feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
How does one do this? Not with physical armor but with spiritual protection from the Word of God and the sword of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we are encouraged to stand strong and repel nefarious outside sources — not on our own, but through the power and protection of the God we serve.