Reading
Revelation 12:7
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
Devotion
Today's painting, as we near the ancient feast of All Hallows, is Thomas Blackshear's "Watchers in the Night." Blackshear is a modern, African-American artist, sculptor and stamp designer. He currently resides with his wife in Colorado. I chose this painting for its theme of protection. The acrylic original All Hallows, a Christian feast that 'baptized' the much older Celtic New Year's feast of Samhain, is a 'thin time'. By this I mean that it is a liminal time, a time of threshold where, at least in my imagination, past, present, and future commingle. It is a time when I wander about our church building and note the names on stained glass, or memorial plaques, or scrawled under a pew. I pray for these our spiritual ancestors and invite their intercession on our behalf.
This painting reminds me that often I am as if asleep, at least spiritually. I may not even be aware of spiritual activity around me. Yet, as St. Paul notes in Ephesians, "...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." How awesome to think of the great cloud of witnesses and angelic forces that gather to support us even or perhaps especially when we are sleeping. How stunning to get glimpses of them from time to time!
What do you see in this painting, dear reader? How does it resonate with you at this time? How is your faith affected by spiritual struggle and by the allies that abound?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as All Hallows approaches, I seek Your protection over me, my family and home. Surround us with Your angels and keep us safe from any spiritual forces of evil and their influences. May Your light shine brightly in our lives, dispelling any darkness that seeks to overwhelm us. Amen.