When the battle is most fierce

Look on me and answer, O Lord, my God.  Or the one who hates me will say, “I have power over him.” And those who hate me will be happy when I am shaken. Psalm 13:3-4

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

This shield of faith, an upward looking expectancy, is what protects me from the fiery darts hurled at me incessantly.  From the Enemy, not from the One Who Loves Me.  And last night we were marveling that it really never gets particularly easier.  All of had somehow absorbed the fairy tale of “happily ever after,” that at some time this powerful wisdom and strength and experience would kick in and life would be smooth sailing.  But somehow things just seem more complex and overwhelming.  Youth is pretty simplistic and responsibility, whew, is not.  

Moses experienced this in battle.   And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  Things did not get easy for even Moses, the one called by God to lead His people.  But he, like me, had those to whom to turn.  When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady.  And when the shield becomes heavy, and the attack fierce, those around me also step forward, to my side, and do the heavy lifting.  

And sometimes the lifting is encouraging words or a big cup of steaming hot coffee.  But mostly it’s bowing our knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He would grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fullness of God.

And as we gathered together, He was in our midst.  And the fog cleared and hope shone through.  

But I have trusted in Your loving-kindness. My heart will be full of joy because You will save me. I will sing to the Lord, because He has been good to me. And the path ahead is not easy, nor will it ever be.  Nor should it be, lest I cease the upward longing to Him who is good to me.  To us.