"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Ephesians 6:13
What are the select pieces of armor? Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer. Seven pieces - seven is the complete number in Scripture; this is all I need. What is missing from the list that I may consider necessary for battle? How about a weapon? A battle plan? A four star general would be nice. Justice and revenge, too.
As the muslims gather by the thousands at this time and storm the embassies, burning our beloved American flag, fear and anger strike my heart and I instinctively want to protect myself. After all, what if they were roaring down my street, storming my house? I want to be left standing; where's my gun?
Verse 10 of that same chapter says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." If the enemy storms my house, I can don the righteousness of Christ, stand on the firm foundation of His Word and wield my shield of faith knowing that the battle is between God and Satan, not me and another person. With confidence, I can say I already know who the victor is because I have read the last chapter in the Good Book!
Stand your ground!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Patriot's Day
"Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Psalm 103: 1-5
As I opened the daily news and read the daily results of sin - murders, deviances and injustices - I remember the drear drapery of sadness that enveloped our nation eleven years ago today, silencing us in muffled tears or rousing our heated anger in wracking sobs, and I cry out to my Savior! I know all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death; I am a sinner, too, yet he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion because I believe in Him. He longs to do the same for the woman whose face I see on the front page. She is accused of killing an elderly lady, stuffing her body under a mattress and stealing her vehicle, yet here she is smirking in the photograph and I am incensed! What if that elderly person had been my mother? What right does this woman have to dispense such horror on another?
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us - this includes her too, and those radical Islamic martyrs who died for the wrong cause. How sad for all. Where would any of us be without Jesus Christ?
Psalm 103: 1-5
As I opened the daily news and read the daily results of sin - murders, deviances and injustices - I remember the drear drapery of sadness that enveloped our nation eleven years ago today, silencing us in muffled tears or rousing our heated anger in wracking sobs, and I cry out to my Savior! I know all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death; I am a sinner, too, yet he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion because I believe in Him. He longs to do the same for the woman whose face I see on the front page. She is accused of killing an elderly lady, stuffing her body under a mattress and stealing her vehicle, yet here she is smirking in the photograph and I am incensed! What if that elderly person had been my mother? What right does this woman have to dispense such horror on another?
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us - this includes her too, and those radical Islamic martyrs who died for the wrong cause. How sad for all. Where would any of us be without Jesus Christ?
Monday, September 10, 2012
I Do
"...by law, a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage."
Romans 7:2
I never thought of my marriage in legal terms before. When I declared "I do" to my spouse, I was not only vowing to love him in sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, but I signed a binding, legal contract. My commitment goes beyond the ways of my heart and that is exactly what's needed to get us through rough times. We don't always feel like loving a spouse, but when the law reminds us of our obligations, we settle down and get to work.
Romans 7:2
I never thought of my marriage in legal terms before. When I declared "I do" to my spouse, I was not only vowing to love him in sickness and in health, in poverty or wealth, but I signed a binding, legal contract. My commitment goes beyond the ways of my heart and that is exactly what's needed to get us through rough times. We don't always feel like loving a spouse, but when the law reminds us of our obligations, we settle down and get to work.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Hannah's Prayer
"In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord...Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard...Then she went her way and ate something and her face was no longer downcast."
Samuel 1: 1-20
There is much to learn from the faith of Hannah. Although her husband loved her very much, she was childless. His other wife, big help that she was, provoked Hannah to no end about it, deepening her sadness. "In bitterness of soul" Hannah poured out her grief to God; when she was done, she was cheerful. Was she now pregnant? Was she given a guarantee her prayer was heard? No, but she had faith. She called upon the name of God and departed with her burden behind her.
Prayers that reveal your true grit, your earnest desire or your state of bitterness mean so much more to God than the recitation of a memorized statement. He really does want to know you, so let it all pour forth to him. He's listening!
Samuel 1: 1-20
There is much to learn from the faith of Hannah. Although her husband loved her very much, she was childless. His other wife, big help that she was, provoked Hannah to no end about it, deepening her sadness. "In bitterness of soul" Hannah poured out her grief to God; when she was done, she was cheerful. Was she now pregnant? Was she given a guarantee her prayer was heard? No, but she had faith. She called upon the name of God and departed with her burden behind her.
Prayers that reveal your true grit, your earnest desire or your state of bitterness mean so much more to God than the recitation of a memorized statement. He really does want to know you, so let it all pour forth to him. He's listening!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Stuck Like Glue
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8: 38-39
Physically, I can be separated from my most loved person. Emotionally, my closest confidant can betray me. Death will end my marriage. Demons can mess with my spirit. I can be the sole survivor of a shipwreck, floating in the oceanic expanse and yet my Jesus abides with me. Nothing in all creation can separate me from my Savior! That is a veritable comfort.
Romans 8: 38-39
Physically, I can be separated from my most loved person. Emotionally, my closest confidant can betray me. Death will end my marriage. Demons can mess with my spirit. I can be the sole survivor of a shipwreck, floating in the oceanic expanse and yet my Jesus abides with me. Nothing in all creation can separate me from my Savior! That is a veritable comfort.
Monday, September 3, 2012
He Watches Me
"These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' Shall what is form say to him who formed it, 'He did not make me'? Can the pot say of the potter, 'He knows nothing'?"
Isaiah 29: 13, 15, 16
Down deep in my core, to the very small seed of my origin, what drives me? What thoughts are formed and dispatched to my mouth? When I worship my Maker, am I only performing? How silly! God made me so he knows my innermost parts. He knit me together in my mother's womb, the Psalmist tells me, and his eye has been upon me as I toddled about in nappy pants. He knows how many hairs are upon my head, he has witnessed my darkest sins and knows whether or not I was truly repentant. I can hide nothing from him; why would I want to?
Boy, I was sure glad he could see me when, as a child, I was lost in a Wyoming forest! Or the time I was in a near fatal accident in Texas, he brought me through unscathed. Or when I was in anaphylactic shock, being rushed to a hospital in Ohio - He saw me through that, too. When I was in a crumpled heap of anguish on my kitchen floor, He picked me up in his everlasting arms and showed me the way. Do I only want him to see me when I am in need?
Just as in a marriage when spouses see one another with uncombed hair and morning breath, my relationship with Jesus is all inclusive. I'm so glad "his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me."
Isaiah 29: 13, 15, 16
Down deep in my core, to the very small seed of my origin, what drives me? What thoughts are formed and dispatched to my mouth? When I worship my Maker, am I only performing? How silly! God made me so he knows my innermost parts. He knit me together in my mother's womb, the Psalmist tells me, and his eye has been upon me as I toddled about in nappy pants. He knows how many hairs are upon my head, he has witnessed my darkest sins and knows whether or not I was truly repentant. I can hide nothing from him; why would I want to?
Boy, I was sure glad he could see me when, as a child, I was lost in a Wyoming forest! Or the time I was in a near fatal accident in Texas, he brought me through unscathed. Or when I was in anaphylactic shock, being rushed to a hospital in Ohio - He saw me through that, too. When I was in a crumpled heap of anguish on my kitchen floor, He picked me up in his everlasting arms and showed me the way. Do I only want him to see me when I am in need?
Just as in a marriage when spouses see one another with uncombed hair and morning breath, my relationship with Jesus is all inclusive. I'm so glad "his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me."
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Indomitable Spirit
"But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you."
Romans 8: 10&11
I know a dear Christian woman who is elderly and stricken with Alzheimers. Though her family visits her regularly, she does not recognize them, so cruel a robber is this disease. However, she still exhibits her deep faith through song and scripture. Why is this knowledge not lost to her as well? Because she houses God's Holy Spirit that remains the same yesterday, today and forever. This power can never be diminished. It is available to the poor, the abused and forgotten, the retarded, the young child and the lost. This Spirit will continue to dwell with my friend and any who will receive Him, and lead her to the Promised Land. Alzheimers cannot touch that! Praise be to God.
Romans 8: 10&11
I know a dear Christian woman who is elderly and stricken with Alzheimers. Though her family visits her regularly, she does not recognize them, so cruel a robber is this disease. However, she still exhibits her deep faith through song and scripture. Why is this knowledge not lost to her as well? Because she houses God's Holy Spirit that remains the same yesterday, today and forever. This power can never be diminished. It is available to the poor, the abused and forgotten, the retarded, the young child and the lost. This Spirit will continue to dwell with my friend and any who will receive Him, and lead her to the Promised Land. Alzheimers cannot touch that! Praise be to God.
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