Every once in a great while I get to work with other writers and teachers who are passionate about sharing Christian theology in common language, with the goal of “working out our faith” together. This is one of those times, and Brenna Brimer is one of those writers.
Brenna lives on the vast prairies of Lance Creek, Wyoming and works on her family’s ranch with her husband, Dalton. She is passionate about teaching God’s Word and sharing the love of Jesus with others, but finding those people out on the prairie can be difficult. Thus, Theology on the Prairie was created in order to share those passions with a wider - and less bovine - community.
Brenna generously invited me to share my words with her audience! My post “How Ignoring Our Bodies Is Harming Our Souls” will publish on Monday 3/31. If you have ever felt disconnected from or discontent in your body, I invite you to subscribe to Theology on the Prairie so you don’t miss it.
Welcome to The Paradox Paper, a monthly newsletter that honors the everyday paradox of a life with Jesus. If a friend forwarded you this email, click here to subscribe:
In this edition:
A sci-fi mystery that puts a fresh spin on all the tropes I love most
A word (preached, not just written!) on the armor of God
A song that reminds me that Hope is both a choice and a Person
The Last Murder At The End of the World, Stuart Turton
The tiny remnant of the human race now lives together on one island. The island is beautiful, everyone living in peaceful harmony with the land, the animals, and each other. Perfect contentment. Beyond the island is only the fog that consumed the world a hundred years ago, but no one thinks about that anymore. They are safe. They are happy. Until the day their chief scientist is found brutally murdered, triggering the security wall that keeps the fog at bay to go down. They have 107 hours to solve the murder and deal with the murderer, or everybody dies.
I was a little over an hour into this audiobook before I put my finger on why it felt familiar. A few years back I read and loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and it’s the same author and narrator! This new title has moved Turton several notches up on my favorite authors list! He has such a unique way of knitting the details together to make a perfect mystery with a little dash of bizarre. In both audiobooks the narrator took some getting used to. He’s not my favorite starting off, but he gets better.
I’ve never liked the armor of God verses from Ephesians six. You know, these:
Ephesians 6:10-17
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
I am sure that I have heard or read a faithful, helpful treatment of these verses at some point in my many years in and around church. But somewhere along the way I also heard (or interpreted) that God gives us armor so that we (the faithful Christians, the good guys) can oust them (the fill-in-the-blank-people-we-disapprove-of.) Since then (when exactly I’m not sure) I read these words through a lens of skepticism.
Armor? Really? Battle? Ew, so combative. Until recently.
Ephesians six was the assigned passage in my reading plan last month. I dutifully read it, and was shocked by what wasn’t there. Any actual fighting, for instance. No cautions against those people (whoever they are). What I found instead was more gentle, practical, and hopeful than I’d assumed. Of course, because God is always better than I give Him credit for. He doesn’t need me to fight His battles. He invites me to stand beside Him while He fights mine. He doesn’t ask me to borrow His armor, clunky and ill-fitting on my finite frame. He doesn’t ask me to turn against my fellow image bearers, but toward Him.
I was so encouraged by what I discovered that I selected it as my text when I was asked to speak to the secondary student body at our church’s school. I hope it will be as helpful to you as it was to me!
This semester I am taking a class on trauma-informed care for ministry leaders. The beginning of the class corresponded with some deep and prolonged suffering for some of our church family. After long counseling sessions or class lectures, when the depth of pain and evil in the world feels overwhelming, I sit with this song and breathe, remembering that Hope is not mine to conjure or generate. Hope is Person, present to and in our suffering, and He is mine to choose.
Hold the paradox. Don’t panic. See you in next month!
-Steph
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