Carol Purves

Paul urges us to put on the whole armour of God, not part of it or half of it. It reminds me of the story in Greek mythology of Achilles who was predicted a young death. So his mother dipped him in the River Styx which was supposed o have magical properties. Where his other held him by his heel he was not protected and later died by a poisoned arrow piecing that part of his foot.

Our armour against the whiles of the devil needs to be complete; we never know where he will attack us next. We need to have the belt of truth round our waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place. In our hands we need the shield of faith and sword of the spirit, on our head the helmet of salvation.

We know that warriors of old needed complete armour protection. Any piece missing would result in death. Our battle against the power of darkness is no less important. Every piece of God’s armour is vital.

Linked closely to the sense of smell, taste is another thing that can be lost to long covid sufferers. ‘It tastes just like cardboard.’ I’m told, but I wonder which of us has eaten cardboard! Or ‘it tastes of rotten eggs.’ Have they tried eating them? Nevertheless, the loss of taste is an unstableing experience. When we see how many programmes on the television are linked to baking, we see how important food is to us. In this country we are blessed in having enough food on the whole, but a rise in the number of food banks illustrate the poverty that exists here.

Eating is often a social thing. We read of the many meals Jesus had with His friends. Meals where he was able to teach them and where they enjoyed fellowship together. We are losing something when we have more meals on our laps watching television or when families don’t even eat at the same time.

There is no touch as special as Jesus’ touch. He must have been a touchy feely person. He touched lepers when it was a dangerous thing to do; He touched the sick and His touch raised to dead to life. He touched the little children and sat them on His lap. ‘Jesus’ hands were kind hands, doing good to all.’ We can’t necessarily do the miracles that Jesus did with His touch but we can use our sense of touch. ‘

How comforting it is to hold the hand of a sad and tearful person. Children respond to touch and a cuddled child grows up more secure. To hold the hand of a dying person is a great privilege and must be so important to those who are dying.

The result of covid is throwing up a number of long term damages. With long covid the loss of smell is one of the side effects. I can hardly imagine not being able to smell as I cook, not to smell the old fashioned rose blooming in my garden or newly baked bread as I walk past the bakery in my high street. Of course, there are unpleasant smells that sufferers are also missing but the pleasant smells are more numerous.

I understand there are now treatments to try to retrain this sense; time will tell how successful they are. This is a sense which we hardly notice until we lose it. We seem to be failing all the time in this way. Old age can affect the sense of smell as well as hay-fever. This is yet another gift of God which we need to appreciate and give thanks for.