Stand Firm

“Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength.” 

Like soldiers we often cannot see how the battle is progressing, our immediate experience in the conflict can be encouraging or depressing, frightening or exhilarating. The call is to keep going, to join in suffering and endure.

 We do not have the luxury of questioning why the advance is not going better, complaining about our mission or longing for civilian life.  

Transcript

Day 90

It is hard to believe that this is day 90. I am definitely making progress but, like most of my experience of trying to move forward on the way through life, it is not as rapid as I would like. I have been without the fixator for a week and a day now but the daily regime of ice, elevation and bone stimulation continues. I am not in pain but I still have quite limited capacity for independent activity. Freedom comes slowly.

Today I had a fibre glass cast made of my leg as a part of getting fitted for a custom walking boot. This meant that I was able to stand and put weight on both my feet for the first time since my surgery. It was not for long and I was not allowed to go anywhere but I was upright, albeit briefly.

Sometimes standing is as much as we can hope for.

Paul writes to the Ephesians about the spiritual battle that is being waged in the heavenly realms and the challenge to God’s people. He introduces the idea of the armour of God to help them be strong in the Lord.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (6:10-17)

I was reminded of this because of the emphasis it places on standing. When we think about battles or struggles the received wisdom can often be that we need to advance. The call is to keep moving forward, to overcome whatever opposition we face and to triumph. General Patton in WW2 espoused a philosophy of continuous forward movement as the key to victory. He famously said that he didn’t want his men to dig foxholes as it only slowed up an offensive.

“Nobody ever defended anything successfully, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.”

I guess Patton would have played 1-1-9 formation if he was coaching a soccer team. With one defender, one midfielder and nine forwards. We actually played this formation a fair bit in primary school. My attitude has changed a bit since I was eight years old.  In sport and in combat I believe both defence and attack are necessary. An appropriate tactical response depends on the situation we are facing and the nature of the battle. 

Paul explains that the conflict that he is describing is not against flesh and blood. He mentions on four occasions the importance of standing. 

Three different Greek words are translated as standing in this passage. στῆναι (stēnai) is used twice and can also mean to stop movement or remain upright. ἀντιστῆναι (antistēnai) a related word also translated as withstand or resist. στῆτε (stēte) which here is translated as stand firm and in 1st Peter as stand fast. “this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.” (5:12) 

Together these words paint a picture of  a call to endurance, steadfastness and keeping going through pressure. In this great spiritual battle waging through the ages, light triumphs over darkness, Jesus is victorious and the powers of evil, sin and death are destroyed. Between now and that day of final victory we have weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of God. These weapons are not interesting artefacts to be displayed as curiosities in our personal museum of faith but are given to us by the Lord for daily use.

Our job is to stand and having done everything, to stand. The purpose of the armour is to enable us to stand. 

Like soldiers we often cannot see how the battle is progressing, our immediate experience in the conflict can be encouraging or depressing, frightening or exhilarating. The call is to keep going, to join in suffering and endure. We do not have the luxury of questioning why the advance is not going better, complaining about our mission or longing for civilian life.  

Another great military strategist experienced his share of victories and defeats

“Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength.” Napoleon Bonaparte

Eventually we all reach a breaking point and come to the end of our strength. The courage to endure and keep going is only possible in the strength and power of the Lord. Too often we leave this to be our last option, the refuge where we take our final stand. It needs to be our first response and our daily habit. We are not going to survive in a spiritual battle using human strengths and strategies.

Today I am thankful for the hope of being given something that will enable me to stand. This will also enable me to move forward. I believe Paul mentions something to the Ephesians about shoes being fitted to our feet.

I am also thankful for being provided with other equipment and resources that give me the hope of being able to stand, and having done everything, still to stand.

I like the way the message translates one of the same Ephesian verses.

“Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.” 

May it be so.