"It Is Not This Day"

We watched ALL of the "Lord of the Rings" (extended edition) movies during our time in the mountains (yes, TV and all in the mountains) last week. I still have those images of swords and shields and battles in my mind. I think this is a good thing because as we pray and read Scripture, especially passages like Ephesians 6:10-18 I can picture belts, helmets, shields and swords. There are so many scenes in those movies that I like... Frodo and Sam, Legolas and Gimli (and the way their adversarial relationship turns to friendship) and one I'm thinking about today... the scene where Aragorn, Gandalf and their army are up against the Gates of Mordor and are literally surrounded by the enemy. Aragorn comes to his army and says;

"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*"

Ephesians 6 tells us:
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

We are told in 2 Timothy 3 that in the last days terrible times will come (difficult times) and we may be tempted to fear, to run away, to quit, but IT IS NOT THIS DAY!