More Hope for Our Time ~ Reflections on Ephesians 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of God’s power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our[b] struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these,[c] take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
A wonderful Vacation Bible School video (The Story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego available on our church’s Facebook page) took me on a journey in preaching recently that started in the third chapter of the book of Daniel, and ended in the sixth chapter of Ephesians and the Whole Armor of God.
Paul implores us and the Ephesians to stand in the strength of God’s power. And he gives us the wardrobe for this task as the Whole Armor of God, starting with the belt of truth.
In that sermon, trying to capture the essence of the truth that gives us the power to stand firm in our day, I mentioned a sign that my wife Teresa had seen hanging in the lobby of a local doctor’s office.
The sign read THE STRUGGLE IS REAL – BUT SO IS GOD.
If we truly believe that, we can stand firm in any circumstance.
After preaching that sermon, I also thought back to the lyrics of a contemporary Christian song that I enjoyed years back.
The song claimed GOD IS, GOD LOVES, AND GOD CAN BE FOUND.
If we truly believe that, we can stand firm in any circumstance.
As we try to stand firm today, with whatever challenges we face, let’s remember the truth of our faith – GOD IS REAL.
Prayer
God, let me truly rest in the fact that You and Your love for me are real, today and every day. Amen.