[340 words]
Growing up I often played with sticks, gift paper cardboard rolls, and basically anything that could have even resembled a sword. Thinking back, I realize that the image of a sword was something that I was exposed to in literature, TV, movies, and video games. Shows like Zorro, He-Man, Star Wars, Thunder Cats, Conan, and countless others, exposed me to heroes defeating evil using swords.
The first object in the Bible called a sword seems to have been made by God to keep Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. “Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out with his hand, and take fruit also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22-24). The sword has been part of our history since then.
God warns Christians that we need a sword. We are in a spiritual battle and facing the devil’s schemes daily. “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). The importance of God’s word to our lives can never be overstated. The word of God is important in every avenue of our life. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The word of God helps defend us from the evil one and can be used to help others who are still enslaved by their sin. We need to be a sword using, sword carrying people.
Brad Tolbert
Monticello church of Christ
Monticello, AR