‘Still Fit’ for Active Duty in His Service

Last weekend I saw myself in the Spirit.

It is night, and I am walking quietly in the darkness.  I have a large bag across my body and I am moving stealthily towards a sort of ramshackle, concealed hut.

I know I am being watched.

The attempt to hide the hut is rendered almost useless by a cloud of golden light that radiates from it, and occasional fireworks that burst from it, illuminating the night sky and the land below.

As I approach I can hear the sound of singing coming from inside the hut. I creep up to the door and knock gently, though I don’t wait for an answer before entering.

The singing stops as I enter.  There is a woman sitting there, at a desk, in the dim light inside the hut and she removes her earphones.  A large microphone is in front of her, and something that looks like an electrical telegraph, though there is no electricity.

“Hello, von Frundsberg,” I say cheerfully, after I shut the door behind me. “I’ve brought you some ammunition.”

I then open the big bag I carried and I pull out sheet music, a Thermos flask, a container of salad and a whole cake.

“Thanks, Ma’am. Hooray! Cake!” she exclaims, “I was feeling a bit hungry, to be honest.”

She yawns and stretches and pours herself a cup of drink and starts eating the cake. “I think I might need all of this cake tonight. Do you mind?”

“Not even slightly,” I reply. “Enjoy it, it’s all for you. How is everything?”

“Ooh, I’ve gathered so much intel I’m fairly bursting with it, and there’s more to come. I’ve been relaying it back to HQ [headquarters] as and when I can, but they’re watching me closely and I don’t like to stop for too long.”

“Good man,” I say. “Remember to take a rest though. And get up and walk about too. Exercise and times of refreshing are important.”

We chat for a while as she eats and drinks.  There is laughter and friendship and we even dance and sing a few worship songs together.

Then I turn to go, but she reaches out her hand to stop me.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I just wanted to say how thankful I am that you’ve given me another chance.  I don’t deserve it, after everything I did before. I’m so grateful you’ve taken me on again. It’s so good to be back in the saddle.”

“Oh nonsense,” I say, smiling broadly, and pat her hand.  “And let’s have less of this ‘Ma’am’ business, von Frundsberg. You were, and you are, a great officer.  You made mistakes, that’s all. We all make mistakes, we all fall short of the glory.  All I did was request your return. Your new commission came from above, from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief Himself. You have Him to thank, not me.”

She’s a little tearful and we hug each other.  Then this time I do actually leave.  When I am outside in the darkness once more, I hear her singing again, fireworks hurtle into the sky and the golden cloud is more radiant than ever.

Psalm 22:3, Exodus 40:34, Isaiah 4:5, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Colossians 3:14, Romans 3:21-24

The Commander-in-Chief, is of course The LORD.

I am calling the lady von Frundsberg as a nickname. Georg von Frundsberg was a 16th century knight and military leader, the so-called ‘Father of the Landsknechts’, who were well-trained and experienced warriors.  I say “good man” as a joke, too.

It’s cheeky of me, in classic bantering British style, but it’s an indication of the high esteem that I have for her as a long-serving warrior of The LORD.

She has made poor decisions in the past, but that doesn’t change who she is in Jesus.  She is still fit for active duty in His Service.

The so-called ‘ammunition’ is sheet music of Worship Songs.

I also bring her food and drink, I remind her to rest and exercise, and we spend time together in Fellowship, all of which are vital for healthy living.

Cake is perhaps less so, but it shows that The LORD is not austere and He is pleased to see us enjoy life.  I love how the lady starts to eat the cake first, before the salad!

I see myself but it represents all of us who can encourage and build up others in our faith.  And we have all, at times, been in need of encouragement ourselves after making mistakes.

The lady’s work is gathering and transmitting intelligence but she is doing this by worshipping.

The Holy Spirit releases wisdom to her through her wholehearted surrender to Him and through her Praise and Worship.

The LORD inhabits the Praises of His People.

The glory of His Presence rests on the hut and upon her, because of her worship and reverent submission.

 

~ Iris Maud, UK.

---

Iris Maud, UK.

Back to Top