The Readiness of Peace

...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6: 15

I like walking.  It makes me feel purposeful. Some say I walk really fast.  Dylan is always complaining that I leave him behind all the time...hmm...not sure why he'd say that? If anything, he is the one who's always dragging his feet.  Actually, often, everyone seems to move in slow motion.  Why can't people just walk faster?  Especially at the grocery store, what's with the lollygagging? It drives me CRAZY! GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!!

Sigh...

OK...maybe, it might be me...

The truth is that, walking slowly to me is a sign of being lost, and in a way, of not being ready.  I know it's not true.  But, that's how I feel.  I slow down only when I'm not sure where I'm going...and I really dislike that.  I also slow down when I'm not ready, when I'm distracted...and that makes me uncomfortable.  I like the feeling of being in control, knowing exactly where I'm going and how to get there.  I like to feel like I'm ready to just jump and do what I have to do.  I do not like inaction.  Do it now, regret it later!  That's pretty much my motto.  After all, isn't that what this verse is all about? Isn't' Ephesians 6: 15 telling us we must be ready?  Ready to swiftly jump to action?

The image that comes to mind when I read: feet fitted with readiness...is the winged feet logo!

But, then...what about the "gospel of peace?"

We are supposed to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace...what is that all about?

I don't know, but somehow, in my mind, the words "peace" and "readiness" do not mesh well.  Readiness to me implies being on the edge.  I think of a sprinter runner: on your marks, ready, set, GO! BOOM! Exploding speed!  The image in my mind does not convey much "peace."  On the contrary, heart pounding adrenaline is what I imagine.  So...I don't get it?

Is Paul trying to tell us that we need peace to be ready?  How is that possible?  I don't understand?

I am not an expert on the concept of peace.  I wonder if that's why I am always so exhausted.  If I am honest with myself, I don't have peace in much of what I do.  I jump right on it, and I do it as fast as I can...because I believe that getting it done is the goal...but...where's the peace?

Maybe the kind of readiness that God wants from me is a different thing.  Maybe He wants the readiness that emerges from knowing that we do not have to do it all...that He is in control, and that all we have to do is trust His Word, which will in turn, develop a sense of peace in our soul that will allow us to be ready for whatever we face...because knowing the Gospel is knowing that He has paid it all, and that all to Him we owe.

I know I am very, very far from experiencing this type of readiness.  But, I do understand now, that I must become as familiar as possible with His Gospel, because the more I read it, the more I know Him, and the more I know Him, the more I trust Him...and the more I trust Him...the more peace flows like a river in my soul.

I guess I better start looking back to make sure I'm not leaving anyone behind...after all, what's the point of being ready and getting it done fast, if...in the end...I'm flustered and alone?

Jesus is Our Righteousness

...with the breastplate of righteousness in place... Ephesians 6: 14b

Dylan:  "Mama, how much is 8x3?"

Me:       (insert MAJOR silent eye-rolling and deep sigh...)

Dylan:  "I guess it's been a long time since I've been in school, huh?"

Me:       (insert double facepalm that also serves to disguise a chuckle)

Dylan:  "Hey, but did you notice how earlier, I used the word: 'elevate' before? Pretty impressive, huh?"

Me:       (insert head on desk in sign of utter defeat)

It has certainly been a looooong time since kids have been to school...indeed...and for a teen who thinks books are the devil, not being in school is tragic.  However, there's been an interesting turn this summer...Dylan has began to read... I mean, honestly, it's not like a "legit" interest in reading has suddenly awoken into his soul.  Not really. Books ARE still the devil. Dylan's reading efforts are mostly the product of bribery.  Apparently Grant offered to pay him a dollar for every book he reads...the implications and nuances of this arrangement are too complex to discuss in this post...but...regardless...it's working.  Dylan has read a couple of books!  Which is AMAZING! So, once in a while, he would use a word that not normally one would expect Dylan knowing, let alone, using appropriately in the right context within a casual conversation...so he makes sure everyone notices.  And I'm very proud of him for that.

As a non-native speaker of English, I encounter thousands of words and expressions on a daily basis that I am not familiar with...so...I try to pay careful attention, and when the right context comes up, I try to incorporate them as best as I can.  However, often, I need to pause and realize that the potential opportunities for me to incorporate some terms are very slim.  Such is the case with two words in Ephesians 6: 14b... "breastplate" and "righteousness."  

I don't know about you, but neither of these two words populate my conversations on a daily basis.  I'm not entirely sure I know what meaning they actually convey.  So, I had to enlist the help of my good friends Merriam & Webster to clarify.  

The breastplate is is a device that soldiers wear (or used to wear) over the torso to protect from injury.  I guess, the 21st century equivalent would be a bullet proof/kevlar vest that law enforcers wear or should wear (I wish it was available to all, but, unfortunately apparently it is not).  The purpose of this type of device is to guard vital organs in case of an attack.  It mostly protects the heart.

Righteousness...o this word...so misunderstood.  It is simply defined as acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin.  Who could ever achieve a perfect state of righteousness?  

As we prepare for the spiritual warfare that we endure each and every day, Paul indicates we most put on the "breastplate of righteousness."  But...even looking up the meaning of these two words, I can't figure out how to apply them!

sigh...

I cannot figure out how to put on this piece of armor?!  I'm not a righteous person.  I am not free from sin.  I am not fully obedient to the divine law...not even a little bit.  How am I supposed to put on righteousness so my heart and other vital organs are not exposed?

The only way to avoid walking into battle with my vital organs completely unprotected is by walking with Jesus.  Paul knows about this.  He wrote Romans and other books where he tells us how Jesus is the ONLY ONE Righteous; and how He inputted, or gave us, or placed His righteousness in us.  Therefore, as we belong to Him, we are covered by His righteousness.  The breastplate that guards our hearts is Jesus Himself!

We have to put on Jesus everyday.  We have to fix our eyes on Him and allow His presence to invade us daily.  We need to remember how, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 21

We must remember every single day that we belong to Him, and that our righteousness comes from our faith in Him, And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. Philippians 3: 9

Therefore, every morning, as we get out of bed, we declare that Jesus is Lord, and that He is the One who places His protection on us as He covers us with His Righteousness so we can go and do what we must.

The sight of Dylan, laying on a couch, reading a book is otherworldly to me.  It helps me believe that he will be OK, after all.  If Dylan can make reading into a habit, so can I make it a habit to proclaim that Jesus is Lord, and to believe that I walk fully protected by His Righteousness, deeply into the heat of the battle.

No Belt, No Chance

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist... Ephesians 6: 14

There was a Jim Carrey movie back in the 90s called Liar Liar.  I'm not recommending it or anything, but there was a moment, when Carrey's character is "explaining" to his 5 year-old son that sometimes, "adults just have to lie."  He was trying to make the kid "understand" that lying was often necessary in order not to hurt people's feelings.  He proceeded to give the child several examples so the boy would see the picture and accept the fact that lying is essential for the good of society.  The little boy didn't buy it.  The damaging experiences he had had in his short life due to his Father's habit of lying were enough to help him understand that lying was not the best course of action.  There was a sense that the young child knew that whereas the truth might sometimes hurt, the pain caused by constant lying chips away at the heart, leaving an open wound that stays open and never truly heals.

Telling the truth is, indeed, often the hard thing to do.  It's no wonder that Ephesians 14 starts by saying "stand firm..." One surely must stand firm when preparing to tell the truth.  I imagine a cowboy in an old western movie...John Wayne style...feet firmly planted...hands on his belt.  The belt...the belt of truth buckled around the waist.  

What does a belt do?  Imagine John Wayne without a belt.  I mean, really?!  Just the thought makes me laugh, right?  The belt fastens everything.  It keeps the whole outfit in place.  No belt, no pants, no weapons, no dignity, ...no "grit,"

 

no chance...

Without the belt of truth securely buckled around our waist we enter the battle ready to lose it.

The truth is what keeps us in it.  The truth sustains us and maintains us on the right path.  The truth gives us freedom:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31-32

No matter what the world and society tell us, lies make us slaves to the father of lies...lying is his native tongue and when we do it, we speak his language, which identifies us as his kin,

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8: 44

Even if it might seem as if we are doing someone a favor by lying...in the long run, that lie that might have seemed as the sensible thing to do, becomes the gangrene that rots the flesh of the very relationship we sought to save...leaving nothing in the end, but hurt, pain and brokenness often too great to be mended or restored.  

Therefore, we must make sure we buckle that belt of truth on every morning to get our outfit together.  We need the grit of truth if we are going to have a chance in the battles we must fight.  In Jesus' Precious Name.  Amen!

The Struggle is Real

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6: 12

Struggles...wow...that is certainly a concept the entire world has been dealing with during the last 4 months.  I don't have to go into details here. You know what I'm talking about.  You've felt the struggle too.  It seems like the whole world is collapsing...and we are left helplessly broken, to witness it as we crumble with it.  The current situation can very much cloud our days with a sense of hopelessness and negativism that brings us down to a pit of desolation and despair.  

I know...we are supposed to make the best out of what we've got.  We should find the things to be thankful for.  We need to concentrate on the blessings.  I try...but often I fail.

I know that filling my minutes, hours and days with thanksgiving will keep my mind from wandering into its dark corners.  I look out the window and I give thanks for the wonderful, sunny days and blue skies!  I sure do.  I praise God for the magnificent sunsets and glorious mornings.  I am grateful for the air conditioning and for my great patio where I spend most afternoons.  I give thanks a million times to God for keeping me and my loved ones safe, healthy and protected.  I am overflowing with gratitude for the jobs we are still able to do, which are how God provides for our physical needs in a magnificent way.  I am thankful for streaming services and the Internet which keep us entertained as a family.  I am counting my blessings and yes, the discipline is keeping me afloat.  The exercise allows my joy to stick around rather than vanishing in thin air...on most days...

However, there are other days...sigh...

And I wonder why?  

Nothing has changed...why should I feel any different?

Well, I think that's sort of what Paul is talking about in Ephesians 6: 12...our battles are not really our own.  They aren't all against seen enemies either.  We are actually immersed in a spiritual warfare that happens in the realm of the unseen.  It is not a material war in the traditional sense.  It happens in the spiritual world.  However, it impacts the material and the physical realms just the same. It isn't much unlike the stupid virus that is plaguing the world...have you ever thought how much easier it would be if we could actually see it in plain sight??  We would be better able to combat it if we could only see it!  It's the same with the struggle against the spiritual forces of evil:  we can't really see these forces, can we?  But we know they are here, attacking us, ready to implant themselves in our healthy organisms so they can destroy us in one swift blow.

It is very hard to protect ourselves from what we cannot see coming.  

The good news is, we don't have to.  The battle is the Lord's.  We are in it, yes...and there are things we must do, of course.  BUT, He is the Divine Commander.  He is in the Heavenly Realms...we aren't.  That, by itself, tells us how much it is a battle that transcends us.  However, our Heavenly Leader has equipped us with an armor so we can do our part:  to take our stand against the devil's schemes.  

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

That is our command.  

Now, let's continue to read the instructions as to what this "armor" is all about.  May the Light of the Holy Spirit guide us into the fitting room and show us what to do.  Amen!

A Sheep in Armor?

...so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6: 11b

The second half of verse 11 in Ephesians 6 is really sobering.  Notice it does not say: so that if the devil schemes, you can stand against it... No, there's no "if" here.  It is a given:  the devil schemes.  That's what it does.  The enemy is constantly scheming against us.  Like Peter reminds us in his first letter, chapter 5: 8

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8)

Both of these men warning us about the reality of the enemy's state of constant attack know what they are talking about.  Paul and Peter, the pillars of the church, experienced in the faith, apostles of Jesus, one walking alongside Christ in the flesh, the other one in the spirit, both thoroughly tested and tried by satan...both victorious in the strength of the Lord.  They sure know what they are talking about.  And they are both giving us words of immense wisdom:  watch out!!

"Be alert and of sober mind."  "Put on the full armor of God."  Arm yourself so you can do your part to protect yourself against the certain and constant schemes of the enemy who is always looking for someone to devour...we are the devil's prey...we are what the lion hunts and kills to feed...and yes, prey usually does not have much hope for survival when lions are roaring and prowling, looking to devour them.  Indeed, there isn't much they can do.  What can a sheep really do to protect herself against a crouching lioness waiting to pounce? Other than to cry out for help, not much else.  We, however, are the sheep whose Good Shepherd has given a full armour to wear!  

I know, how crazy and ridiculous that image looks, right? A sheep dressed heat to ... hoof ... on an armour ready for battle.  That just doesn't compute.  Exactly!  That's the beauty of it! That's how Amazing Our Great God is!  He has given us, helpless sheep, a full armour so we can stand the attacks of the enemy!  All we have to do is put it on!  However, so many of us, me leading the line, do not realize it.  I still think of myself as that defenseless sheep that cannot do anything other than what prey does:  fall and be caught and destroyed.  I am so focused on how helpless I am as a sheep, that I forget I have a Good Shepherd who has given me an armour.  I'm so blinded by fear that my eyes can't see the truth.

And the truth is that, not only has the Good Shepherd given me an armour, the armour is just for protection so I can stand firm...the battle is actually not even fought by me.  He fights it.  He is the One Who Defeats the enemy!  I just have to stand firm!  And even more amazing, The Good Shepherd is also a Lion who is even more fierce and infinitely more powerful than the caricature of a lion the devil is.  

I am able to take a stand against the enemy.  I have been equipped with what I need in order to do just that.  Now, let's review the items in this armour one by one, praying that the Holy Spirit Who Lives in us enlightens our souls, strengthens our hearts, clears our minds and focuses our eyes so we can know the reality of Jesus in our lives.  In His Precious Name.  Amen!

Just Put It On

Therefore put on the full armor of God...(Ephesians 6: 13a)

I love shopping for clothing.  I just love it!  The idea of having new clothes to wear cheers me up.  And specially when it's a steal.  Bargain hunting is one of the thrills of life in my small and rather pathetic existence.  Thrift shops are like a sort of paradise for me.  Discount stores are my best friends.  I love yard sales; however, they make me extremely self-conscious so I don't break for them, unless I'm hanging out with someone else.  I guess I need a buddy in order to feel comfortable yard selling.  Anyway, if I weren't broke all the time, I'd be broke all the time because of all the shopping I'd be doing.  

The one thing I detest, though, is trying stuff on.  What a let down that is... There's no greater kill-joy than trying on something you really, really, really like, just to find out it looks terrible on you... what a dream crusher...

So, what do I do?  I avoid the fitting room.  I grab the stuff.  I bring it home.  I hold my breath.  I try it on.  Sometimes I hit a homerun.  Many times I strike out.

As I enter into a closer look at the Armor of God, I read Paul's first instruction:  put it on.  It's simple, just put it on!

Easy, right?

Well...how do I put it on, when I don't want to?

I'm OK getting it, and keeping it home.  But, do I really have to try it on?  What if it doesn't fit?  Can't I just keep it in the closet?  It sure looks good in there!  Every time I look at it, all shiny and impressive, it really inspires me!  I feel stronger just looking at it.  Why do I have to actually put it on?  I don't really need to do that.  I think, the fact I have it is enough, isn't it?  If I try it on, I run the risk of looking ridiculous.  What if it makes me look fat? Then, there'll be no point in keeping it...so I might have to return it...and then, what?

The thing is, the instruction is clear:  PUT. IT. ON.  The Armor of God is not meant to be hanging pretty in a closet.  It's not supposed to be a prized possession that one takes out on special occasions and puts it on display like a museum piece, for the world to see that we do have one.  It's not an antique we got at a flea market for a steal.  The Armor of God is given to us who belong to the Lord's Army, but it wasn't a bargain.  It wasn't free at all.  It was paid for by Jesus with His Precious Blood.  And it is our privilege, our duty, our right and our honor to wear it.  Therefore, it must also be our desire.

That desire comes from recognizing that the Armor of God is our defense.  It's God's gift to us so we can withstand the trials and tribulations of this world.  Without it, we are unprotected.  The enemy lies to us and uses our insecurities to keep us from doing what we are supposed to do: wear it.  He does that because he knows, better than ourselves, that without it we are vulnerable.  And one of his most effective weapons to prevent that we even try it on, is the mirror.  So, perhaps, it's time to get rid of it? Maybe it is time we stop being so self-conscious and look around at those whose armors are already on, and reach out for support.  Just like I feel I need a buddy to go yard selling, I might need the steady hand of my family in Christ to help me drop my insecurities and get into that fitting room, already, and just put it on...not paying attention to the mirrors that lie and distort reality. It's time to do whatever needs to be done in order to get fully dressed in His Armor.

Strengthened by the prayers of the faithful, I will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to ignore the mirror, and mute the voices in my head that tell me it doesn't look good on me, that I don't deserve it, that I'm not worthy of it, and just put it on, and wear it each day...for the days of evil are already here, and I must be ready to stand firm.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen!

The Full Armor of God

Waking up to bad news from work is never a good thing, is it?  Well, that's what happened to me this morning.  I don't know about you, but, when I get bad news that personally affect me or my loved ones, my immediate reaction is to panic.  I know...the fruit of self-control has not yet fully blossomed in my soul...the Holy Spirit is still hard at work growing that one in me.  But this morning, something different happened.  For the first time ever, I did not panic. 

I'm still amazed!

I read the message, and after chewing on it a bit, I declared in my mind:  Lord, I trust You!  I trust You know what You're doing.  And I did not panic!  I had a flood of thoughts rushing through my mind, but I was able to continue to repeat in my heart that I was going to trust God and be still...and let Him be God on this one...I just repeated that over and over in my head until I sensed the wave of frantic thoughts begin to subside. 

Later, I reached for my copy of Sarah Young's devotional and read:

"When you approach Me in stillness and in trust, you are strengthened.  You need a buffer zone of silence around you in order to focus on things that are unseen.  Since I am invisible, you must not let your senses dominate your thinking.  The curse of this age is overstimulation of the senses, which blocks out awareness of the unseen world."

How fitting!

I knew, as soon as I read the bad news, that my only recourse was to be still and let Him be God, like Psalm 46:10 instructs us.  The paragraph from the devotional confirmed it, as it reminded me also of the realm of the unseen, the Spiritual world where most battles are fought.  Silence brought forth clarity to see with the eyes of my soul that my struggles are not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6: 12

The truth in that revelation that comes to us through Paul is evident to me in my current situation.  Yes, the forces of evil are acting against me, and what is happening at work is just the visible manifestation of what's going on in the invisible world.  My only defense is to allow God to be God and fight for me.  But, at the same time, I also have a job to do:  I must 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6: 13-18

As I go through this particular struggle at work, I would like to meditate on these verses in order to invoke the Holy Spirit to guide me and explain to me exactly how to put on the full armour of God.  I hope you join me on this exploration of this marvelous passage so together we can be ready.  Join me in the dressing room...I need all the help I could get.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!