Reflection: Armor of God

This morning as I desperately try to center myself on God's Word instead of spiraling out of control with all I feel is necessary to do today, I came to Ephesians 6. Interesting. A couple of months ago, a wise couple encouraged me to pray on the armor of God as I face challenges in Nicaragua. They prayed for my special protection in Nicaragua. This morning, talking to God about earthquakes, boys, and to-do lists, I come to this passage again:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV

Well, God knows I need strength for chores, meetings, emails, church visits, etc. And the power of the evil one is strong, upsetting the peace, breaking relationships, spiraling us downward into negativity and doubt, choking out the peace and joy of Christ with saturated schedules. So how do I pray on the armor of God? Today I was thinking about what these pieces of "armor" may mean to me. It's not exegetical, but rather personal reflection...

having fastened on the belt of truth
Belts keep my pants up. They provide handy cell phone holders for some people. When I use truth as a belt, it keeps everything together. Integrity allows me to go out in public without worrying about shame (will my pants fall down in front of everyone?). Here in Nicaragua, many fathers discipline their children with a belt. Truth corrects, too. It may be very painful (not condoning familial violence, but it's a reality here) but truth is discipline. When I put on the belt of truth, it holds me in check (no loosening the belt to overeat at Thanksgiving).

having put on the breastplate of righteousness
In Spanish, righteousness and justice are translated as the same word. If I keep the values of equity and goodness close to my heart, justice will protect me. It's not my own good works, but the goodness of Jesus that protects vital organs and keeps me from harm. I don't have to believe the devil's accusations because Christ has covered me with his blood, with his justice. When I seek the good of others, I am protecting myself with the breastplate of justice.

as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace
Last night we had an earthquake in Nicaragua. We have to be ready to get up and take action at a moment's notice. People wear certain things to bed because of the reality that they may need to get up in the middle of the night due to an emergency situation. We keep our shoes close by so we can be ready for any situation. Readiness. And how does the gospel of peace affect my readiness? I suppose that for me today it means that I have peace about life and where I'm going because I believe the gospel that Jesus dies for me and wants me to have an abundant life; therefore, I'm ready for whatever comes. I can face life and death because of the life the Spirit of God has given me. Peace about eternity, peace about purpose. I can be ready to serve, ready to work, ready to run the race because of God's Good News.

In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one
Sometimes I think I'm strong enough on my own, that I don't need to be on the defensive because I can go an attack. I see this most when I rely on myself instead of depending on God. That's really what faith is, after all. A hope in what I don't see, assurance that God is working even when I can't see it. This dependence on His work protects me from attacks by the evil one. I don't need to be perturbed by the negative comments of coworkers, discouraged by questions from people back home, overwhelmed by the need around me. Firmly believing that God will show me one step at a time, provide for my needs, and make all things well in the end for His creation, I am protected from fatal wounds. When I lower my shield and act on my own, I am much more vulnerable.

take the helmet of salvation
A law recently passed that all motorcycle passengers need to wear helmets. Before only the drivers needed one, but now everyone does. Helmets could save one's life in an accident, protecting the skull from getting smashed against the pavement when there's a fall. Because Jesus has called me his own and I have chosen to live obediently, I am protected when I fall.

the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
If you look at how Jesus acts in Luke 4, it's pretty obvious that the Bible is the way to fight the devil, the world, and my own weak self. When I commit verses to memory or read the Bible in a way that it penetrates me, soaks into my being and changes who I am, I am arming myself. With a sword, I can defend and attack. Oh, may my attacks only be against evil and not against innocent civilians...

Prayer at all time for all the saints, and for myself to have the words I need, are always appreciated. I'll keep praying, and I hope you do, too. May we go out, protected, held up, and defended by what Jesus has done.