Ephesians 6:16
With a hard hit, a little off centre, on a rock worn by repeated thumps, the coconut cracks open. You lift the coconut up and drink the water inside, then later eat the flesh. Besides coconuts, you ate some fish earlier in the morning. For some, this might seem dreadful; for others, even a delicacy. But peering at the circumstances from a bit further out — you have been stuck here for months. A while back you were on a large ship that got hit hard by a wild storm. Stuck on a deserted island, you have limited resources. Many mouths yearn for food, and the dwindling supplies are running out. The ship’s captain retained order with his crew. Then, despite the almost dull, repeated days, a ship still afloat makes its appearance. Joy fills the hearts of those who see it. A small rowboat is making its way to you all. It brings gifts and relief. The man in the boat starts loading as many people as possible and takes them to the main ship. Many trips later, you are called to enter the rowboat. Suddenly, fear floods in. The last time you were on the open sea, you almost died — a large reef tore open the hull and kept the ship far off. The idea causes terror. But as you see the man rowing, holding out his hand, calling you to enter, you realise something. This man has rowed almost half a dozen trips already. He knows the way, he has the ability. Ask yourself this: are you convinced by the evidence — can he do this? If you are convinced, act on this trust and get into the boat. Even though you realise you cannot do anything yourself, the man alone can row you to the ship, to safety, and away from your island prison.
We read in the Bible many accounts of Jesus Christ doing miracles and speaking with wisdom. His words and works overwhelm us in depth, power, and wisdom. The witness is so clear that we see Him crucified. We also see the Old Testament consistency of the character of God, how He stayed faithful even though humanity rebelled — He was consistent with His character. We also see the lives of Christians around us, stories of how God used bad times and good times. We also feel the burning of truth, call it a resonance with reality, from the Holy Spirit within us. Now, ask yourself: are you convinced? Are you convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour?
If you land at the conviction that He is God, Lord, and Saviour, what now? If you have seen a part of His character, how does this affect you? Will you now stand against fear, with a trusting confidence that He is consistent in His character? We cannot merely believe that He is God, Lord, and Saviour. We cannot merely believe that He is true to His character — we must place our trust in Him. Faith is not an esoteric term or mystical ideal. It is not a blind, wishful-thinking type of magic. Faith is not a methodology used in incantations to summon benefits to make life more enjoyable or comfortable. When we look at the Greek word we translate as faith, “πίστις,” we see a reference to being convinced — convinced and trusting. See it this way: what you have seen, heard, or thought about convinced you to the point of having total trust. Faith is in Jesus Christ. Meaning, we are convinced by the evidence of the witness of Jesus Christ, which causes us in turn to trust Him fully. It is from this position that we fully place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. It is from this trust that we gain confidence, and it is from this trust that He is with us. Faith in Jesus leaves no room for self-reliance as the basis of our standing — that is why faith in Jesus does not leave us space for leaning on any of our own work for salvation. We are saved by grace, through faith, and this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Person of Jesus Christ is the main character — He is the hero in our story.
We see in Ephesians that faith is depicted as a shield we can hold up against the fiery attacks of the enemy. When we place our trust, our faith, in Jesus Christ, it becomes a shield to shelter us from attack. Christ Jesus is the object of our faith, and even if our environment is hostile, we know that Christ is Lord. This will protect us — we have confidence (Ephesians 3:12), and He is with us (Ephesians 3:17). The enemy’s onslaught will hit you with fiery arrows. But if you hold up the shield of faith, you will withstand the force. Be aware: holding up a shield and taking a hit from an arrow will still cause impact, but it will not reach you. Roman shields were said to be made in such a way that they even quenched the flames of the enemy’s arrows.
As we take up our shield, feeling the pressuring beats of the enemy’s volleys, we are equipped to hold the ground. He is our hope, and our faith is in Him. He is the reason we are able to stand firm.