Cracked Shells and Undamaged Shields – by Lillian Rhoades
“…hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil” (Ephesians 6:16b NLT).
I don’t think the Apostle Paul would object if I likened an egg shell to the “shield of faith.” I was reminded of their comparative purpose to protect when I noticed a cracked shell on one of the eggs I was boiling for lunch. Nothing is more useless to me than an egg with a broken shell gyrating around in a pot of boiling water with its contents spilling out. The shell can no longer protect what’s inside of it, and the egg becomes an unsightly anomaly unworthy of a good egg salad. Just before I pitched the offending, partially boiled egg into the garbage bin, I discovered that even a damaged egg shell can speak to my spirit.
The shell was either flawed before it encountered the flames, or it cracked under intense heat. There are times when I find myself embroiled in a dilemma, and my faith unyokes under the flames of adversity. It seems as if everything I know about God leaks out into the frenzied waters of unbelief. Why, I wondered, is my faith so often like a fragile egg shell when under fire? God quickly responded.
He reminded me of the Roman soldiers in Paul’s time who did what was necessary to keep their shields from cracking. Every day they applied oil to the thick, leather armor, even when they were not engaged in warfare. And every day, I must keep my shield of faith well oiled with God’s Word before I have to use it. Only then can my faith protect me when I’m in the furnace (Isa. 43:2).
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