A man of God

I woke up this morning ready to fight. Ready to save the damsel in distress, or kill the evil dragon. For in my heart, I am a hero. God created me to be a man after his own heart. I will not sit by and watch others be the knight in shining armor I should be.

So show me the dragon and watch me prove my courage. I will Triumph or die trying. Everything I do, I will do with all my heart. Let others judge me as they see fit. I will continue to live my warrior’s life, even if it means separation from all I’ve known. I will forsake this world for my journey. Kiss goodbye to the old me, he is now dead. He was the first to taste my blade. His was the first blood to be spilt.

I slip into my holy armor, grinning at how well it fits. Each piece falls into place like a puzzle. God created this armor specifically for me and I will not disappoint him by forsaking His gift.  Stooping, I grasp my shield. It completes the defensive array of gifts from my father.

I draw my only offense. The indescribable sword slides smoothly from its sheath. This messenger of death now obeys my commands. It is my servant, my weapon.  As it slices through the air, it whistles hungrily as it searches for a victim. Every foe falls to it’s death song.
I am now ready to join the armies of the Lord. The final battle soon will be at hand. We stand in line, nervously clinking in our armor.  All of us brothers and sisters, all of us united for one cause. Now I will prove my existence.

As the battle draws nearer, some of us lose hope. We turn and see the big wave. Doubts begin to tear at us, tearing at our courage and trust in God. As we slip and begin to fall, to sink, we reach out and cry to our Lord and Savior. Suddenly he is there, at our side helping us back up. One look at his smile, and the doubts run in fear, they no longer have power here.

The enemy appears as it comes over the hill. Their numbers are staggering. Though they are many, we have no fear. For just like in Exodus, God goes on ahead leading the charge. A scream tears its way from my lungs as I join in the race to war.

Swords swing, arrows soar, and lives disappear as the battle of Armageddon takes its toll. I run through the midst of the battle, fighting alongside my brethren in Christ Jesus our Lord. No enemy can stand against my blade for I have the power of light on my side. I run on being the deliverer of final judgment.

As the smoke fades, we see the results of an already determined battle. We stand victorious, not a single loss, though a tear is shed for those who never knew and now cry in everlasting despair.  
Yes, I am a manly man. I dream of that final battle and my adrenaline begins to pump. My fists begin to clench and unclench as I wait for the beginning bell. Ding. There it goes and there I go. Rush forward fists flying my strength will be tested. As my glove connects with his face, and I feel his jaw give under the pressure, I know that the fight is mine. He falls, but doesn’t give up. This is Satan, and he will never give up. My soul belongs to God and he can’t stand it. Stepping confidently, I walk towards him. Bent in pain, he looks hurt, but as I near, he swings with an uppercut hitting his target. How could I let this happen? In my confidence, I let my guard down and took a hit for it. Even as I fall I wonder if I’m going to get up this time.

The stars race through the heavens of my mind as I lose consciousness. I curse God for not being there for me and I wonder where he was. Then as I fall I feel arms wrapping around me catching me before I hit the ground. As soon as he catches me, I regret everything I thought. Who am I to curse God? I begin to weep in his arms as he holds me to him. He speaks soothingly to me and explains that everything will be fine. Through my sobs, I tell him about the curse and cry out for forgiveness.

As we embrace, I feel him shaking. I look to his face and see his tears. With one last squeeze, he lets me go. “It is done,” he whispers and opens my eyes.

As my eyes open, I take in my surroundings. I lift myself from the dirt and look around. Soon I recognize where I am and gasp at the thought. The coliseum walls loom over me. Each pillar draws me in. “Hey you, this isn’t over yet,” comes a familiar voice from the side. Lucifer sneers as his demons fan out around me. Every temptation sneers at me as they close in for the kill. Though the situation looks hopeless, I have no fear for I know I will be protected. As they advance, a small drizzle begins. Soon there is a down pour and it paints everything red. Jesus’ blood rains down on my foes and they scream out in the pain it brings. I laugh at their torment as they scamper to and froe ripping at each other for cover. Try as they might though, there is nowhere to hide from the flood.

Soon there is just me and Lucifer. I must take care of this myself. He walks slowly, confidently. Smiling I warn him that he has no power here. “No,” he smirks, “Not yet, but just you wait. I’ll have the power of your soul soon.” I draw my sword and scream my battle cry. Rushing forward, my blade is a blur, but he is tricky and slippery and I can’t seem to get a strike. Soon I realize that I can’t do this alone. Stopping, I call on the Lord’s help. Satan’s sneer becomes a howl as he runs from the light emitted by the Lord our God.

Satan flees, the fight is won. I turn to God and smile. He hugs me and reminds me he’s always there. What a great team we make, I think to myself. Looking around, I begin to wonder, how I get out of Rome.