Skip to main content

Thoughts on the Spiritual Life - XXI - H. C. G. Moule

Chapter VI

CONFLICT AND PEACE

Eph. vi. 10-18; Phil. iv. 7.


The title of this chapter presents a contrast, but it is a contrast full of harmony. The Peace and the Conflict of the believing Christian are things intended, in their true idea, not to take each other by turns, but to be intertwined, to bear habitually upon one another, to make the secret of one tenor of life, and that a life of chastened happiness. Let us look into the matter, in a brief study of the conflict and of the peace in question.


I.

THE CHRISTIAN’S CONFLICT

Consider this first, and in the light of the passage quoted at the head of the chapter; with the recollection that it is a subject not only of importance, but of vital importance to every disciple. It is indeed “our life.”

1. The Ephesians passage asks to be read with full remembrance, first of its connexion. Have you ever remarked that connexion? To many readers, I believe, this picture of armour and soldier calls up the thought of dark and terrible eternal strife. It suggests, perhaps, the resolute confessor of Christ bracing himself to meet Satan in his open wrath; on some day of persecution, with its tribunal, its prison, its scaffold, or its fire; or at least at some time of peculiarly vehement and angry temptation of other sorts; amidst which the saint is solitary and terrified, and almost forcibly overborne. But as a fact the passage comes in, naturally and in sequence, to close and crown a long series of directions how to live at home, how to please the redeeming Lord in the sphere of home duties. Husband, wife, child, parent, master, servant – these are the words which have led up to the thought of the armour, the conflict, and the dark foes who press round the believer in the field.

Is this unnatural? It is indeed surprising for the moment, but not unnatural. I appeal to the heart of my reader, taking it for granted that for most of my readers the lot is cast, wholly or partly, in the life of an English home, or in some life closely akin to it; and I ask, is not home too often the scene of our greatest spiritual failures, our most manifest inconsistencies, our least resistance to the enemy, and accordingly his greatest successes over us? It is a deep fact, a far-reaching fact, that just where the path looks most commonplace and easy the enemy of our spiritual life is likely to set his most subtle ambush. Where we are habitually least upon our guard he is habitually most upon the watch. And then, on the other hand, this scene of so much possible failure is therefore capable, through grace, of being the scene of delightfully frequent and fruitful victory, victory of that gentle, humble and unobtrusive kind which is the truest and the strongest after all.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Courageous Leadership - Evensong, June, 2023

The texts are Joshua 24 and Galatians 2.

A Sea Shanty for St. Michael and All Angels

Audio of the song   “He Made the Devil Fall” - a “Sea Shanty” (Luke 10:18; Rev. 20:10) Beckmann, Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, 2023 Jesus, he came to Galilee And he made the devil fall! And called the twelve to with him be. And he made the devil fall! Refrain: He made the devil fall, my boys, He makes the devil fall! Christ the King will come again, And he’ll make the devil fall! Ho!   To them his pow'r was freely giv'n, And he made the devil fall! And Satan fell like light’ning from heav'n, And he made the devil fall!  He purged our sins; his vict'ry won! And he made the devil fall! And rose again to take his throne. And he made the devil fall!  He sent St. Michael with his sword, And he made the devil fall! And cast that dragon to the earth, And he made the devil fall!  He’ll send an angel, the devil to take And he’ll make the devil fall! And cast him into the fiery lake! And he’ll make the devil fall!

What is Evensong?

 Here are a few articles explaining the Anglican tradition of Evensong: From Ad Fontes:  https://christhum.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/liturgy-bits-a-spotters-guide-to-evensong/ Here's an article on Evensong from Classic FM:  https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/what-is-evensong-how-long-service/ The Religious News Service:  https://religionnews.com/2017/08/30/evensong-sees-a-surge-even-as-british-church-attendance-declines/ From choralevensong.org/uk:   https://www.choralevensong.org/uk/about-choral-evensong-724.php For some reason, you have to go to "Read More" to use the links. It helps to differentiate between "Evensong" proper, which is the Evening Prayer service sung by officiants and congregation, and "Choral Evensong", which is the Evening Prayer mostly sung by a choir.