Our small town in the Florida Panhandle is surrounded by guardians. Most evenings the sound of gunfire breaks up the stillness of the night. On any given day you can feel the whoop, whoop of the helicopters as they fly over. At times you can stand on our beach and catch a glimpse of the keepers of our coasts. The Air Force, the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the Coast Guard are paracletes for the United States. It is their job to intercede on our behalf in an angry world.
In the sermon yesterday, Brother Pete, who is a retired military man, made reference to the body armor that he wore in combat. He said that the company name on the armor is “Paraclete” and wearing the armor “emboldens a soldier”. To embolden is to make bold, encourage, or to hearten.
Our battles may not be on the sands of the Middle East, but they are very real and ever present. We are constantly bombarded by “all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). Paul tells us that we wrestle “…against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12). These are battles that we cannot win, but we have a Paraclete, the Holy Spirit.
Unlike the Paraclete body armor that our military personnel wear which is removed when out of harm’s way, the Holy Spirit living in us is always guarding, teaching, and comforting us. Just knowing that come what may we are never alone, should embolden us to live our day by day lives.
Diane Padgett 2/7/2011
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Thank you Diane, for the great word. I especially like this line: “Just knowing that come what may we are never alone, should embolden us to live our day by day lives.” Amen and amen!
I enjoyed this. Thanks!