Slideshow image

You may be asking yourself what a “sentinel” is. Dictionary.com gives us these two working definitions that really fit what it is we do here: “a person or thing that watches or stands as if watching,” and “a soldier stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack.”

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus challenged his followers to stand watch (be sentinels), “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). We are called to enter into the watch, sounding the alarm when trouble is approaching. St. George was a soldier who knew what it meant to be a sentinel, and he died for the faith as a martyr.

What are we on watch for? What is it we are guarding? While this is not an exhaustive list, a couple of things come to mind:

 

  1. THE FAITH. In our world of strange beliefs and doctrines that the church has never known, it is our duty to protect the faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 1:3 says, “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Lancelot Andrewes shares his input on what this deposit of faith looks like for the Anglican world stating that it is, “One Canon reduced to writing by God Himself, two Testaments, three Creeds, four Councils, five centuries, and the succession of the Fathers in that period – the three centuries, that is, before Constantine, and two after – determine the boundary of our faith.” Let us hold fast to the faith once delivered.

 

  1. OUR HEART. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Our heart is a vital to our life, both physically and spiritually. Out of the depths of the heart, our mouth speaks, Jesus reminds us. Paul tells us that we should think about such things as, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy” (Phil. 4:8).

As we consider our roles as sentinels in the house of God, let us pray with Lancelot Andrewes who wrote this prayer that we may be attentive and alert: “Thou, who with thine own mouth hast told us that at midnight the bridegroom shall come: Grant that the cry, “The bridegroom cometh!” may sound evermore in our ears, that so we be never unprepared to meet him, or forgetful of the souls for whom he died, for whom we watch and pray. And save us, O Lord.  Amen.”

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)