Where is Your Armor of God?

 Many years ago...I'd like to say...maybe 10 or so? I was supposed to give a talk about the Armor of God, so I bought a toy set to use as a prop.  It looked really cute on the picture.  It was delightfully girlish, white and purple, perfect for my lesson to a group of women.  For some reason, the talk got switched to a different topic...I can't remember why or what I ended up talking about...so I didn't get to use my toy armor.  Actually, I never even open the box.  I figured I'd return it.  Time kept passing, and the box was still sitting in my basement.  I thought I'd just give it to the church or to someone who might want it for their daughter or granddaughter.  But, weeks became months, months became years...and the box continued unopened.  We moved to another house...and...yes, you guessed it...the full armor of God is still in a forgotten corner of my basement, perfectly wrapped as it was the day I received it all those years ago (it's actually in our garage now, since we cleaned our basement this summer).

Anyway...

As I wrap up my brief reflection on Ephesians 6: 10-18 the memory of that toy armor of God came back to me in a convicting manner.  Is my real Armor of God neatly packed in a box too?

Paul's instruction is very simple: "Put on the full Armor of God!" (Ephesians 6: 11)  It's plain and clear.  And what is the Armor of God?  It is Jesus, our faith and the Word, handed down to us by our Heavenly Father who wants us to be able to stand against the enemy's schemes while still walking on this world.

The Belt of Truth = Jesus

The Breastplate of Righteousness = Jesus

The Gospel of Peace = The Word = Jesus

The Shield of Faith, in Jesus

The Helmet of Salvation = Jesus

The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God = Jesus

But...what are we doing with our Armor?  Are we wearing it? Or, is it still neatly packed away and forgotten?  OK...I want to wear it, but how?  

Well, for starters, we don't leave it wrapped in the box for years without end.  We don't leave it sitting in a forgotten corner collecting dust.  We don't move it from house to house just because we feel guilty at the thought of leaving it behind.  Instead, we receive it as a perfect gift, given to us with immeasurable love.  We open it.  We unwrap it.  We ask Jesus to put it on us, to clothe us with Himself every single day.  As we receive Jesus, we pray for His presence to be evident to us always.  We open the Bible and read it.  We fall in love with Christ.  We ask Him to increase our faith.  We repeat every single day.

I don't know yet what I will do with my toy armor...I might finally donate it to our church's children ministry if they could use it.  I might sell it at our next yard sale.  I might just keep it in remembrance of what NOT to do with it.  But one thing I do know for sure is, I must put on my real armor, for the days are evil, and without it, I won't be able to stand firm in my struggles.

May the Lord lead us on our quest to wearing His Armor daily, so the world may not crush us, and the battles won't defeat us.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!