Standing on Grace

Ephesians 6:11-12 “And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.”

Certain Native American tribes had a rite of passage for their teenage boys. At age 13 a boy would be blindfolded and led to a certain spot in the woods. He would be forced to sit down while the men of the tribe returned to their camp. The boy would be required to sit all night with his blindfold in place. He was forced to listen to the frightening sounds of the night. Once he felt the warmth of the sun as it rose in the east, he was allowed to remove his blindfold. The first thing he saw when he removed it was his father sitting across from him. The boy's father would sit with him all night, protecting him from the animals of the wilderness, yet he was not seen by his son.

I love the way the Eugene Peterson paraphrases these verses “…..take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials.” 

The armour of God in which we take our stand, is not some inanimate suit of steel it is literally God-armour but it doesn’t mean that we can avoid standing firm when danger threatens.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says this about God’s protection in such situations. “There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment. Wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of almighty God. Not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross.”

All powerful and protecting God, I know you never leave me. I also know that you can defeat the devil. I ask for you to equip me with everything I need to overcome the temptations of the devil. Fill me with the wisdom of the Bible.  Give me confidence. Surround me with wise counsel. Give me the resilience to stay the course. Amen.