Halvar

There’s a trademarked slogan at the Christian store I work for: “What goes into the mind comes out in a life”. Recently, my dad sent me an overview to a presentation he’s giving on goal-setting and personal management. In it, he points out how important guarding your thought life is in the goal-setting process (and in everyday life for that matter). So dad, if you’re reading this, I want to thank you for introducing me to the defender of my mind.

My name is Halvar. I have been guarding these gates for longer than I can remember. I have no memory of childhood, family or how my important, yet sometimes daunting, task began. All I can tell you is that my sense of duty holds fast, especially when defending these gates from all who try to enter uninvited. It’s at those times that I hear my King’s voice and tighten the grip on my sword. He always whispers the same words in my ear, but they’re always enough: “Stand firm, for I am with you”.

Night and day, I am confronted by the most vile, conniving and unwavering horde of beings in existence. They come alone and in groups, their numbers stretching sometimes as far as the eye can see. At times, the onslaught lasts for weeks, then there are long periods of silence, with hardly a passerby. The evil ones are always devising alternate plans of attack. They’ve tried by air and from underneath, but are stopped almost every time by my hand…almost everytime.

You see, there is another force at work that I cannot see. It is the only thing that can totally incapacitate me, leaving me at the mercy of the horde. It’s almost as if the gates themselves have a voice from inside that commands them to open. Since I am not permitted inside, I cannot say for sure who wields this power. What I will say, though, is that the decision of what kind of being is allowed through these gates changes with the seasons. Let me explain. When I am paralyzed by the unkwown power, I still have use of every one of my senses. I can see who is let in, and I can smell the wretchedness that drips from some of them. I hear the wicked schemes they giggle about while they walk past my post. Sometimes my fury rages at them and their plans for destruction. That’s when I hear my King’s voice again, “Stand Firm, for I am with you.”

Please don’t misunderstand me. Some days are extremely pleasurable for me to stand guard. As I have said, some seasons witness many wonderful guests coming through these gates. The invited ones with kind, uplifting words are my favorites. It is my honor to let them through, as I know their smiles and messages will surely encourage their recipients. And as seasons change, so do my surroundings during prolonged periods of welcomed visitors. The air becomes fresher, the grounds around the gates and high walls are greener, and the aroma grows increasingly sweeter. It’s in these times of peace, though, that I realize the day won’t last forever, and the darkness will return. I don’t have to look hard to see the movement and shadows of the unwelcome in the fields and forests afar off. That’s when I take a deep breath, regain focus, and wait on the voice of my King.

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