Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
March 30, 2022
Read Ephesians 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. 11 Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. 12 We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. 13 Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. 14 So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, 15 and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. 16 Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.
Good Morning, Be strengthened by the Lord!
As I consider my faith journey, I rely upon reading the Scriptures with an open mind. I try to let my eyes see through the lens of my heart. This morning this verse really stood out as I read this familiar passage: 12 We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. What does Paul mean by this? In my mind, I see a band of superheroes working together to right the wrongs of the world, and I hear a great inspiring theme song inspiring them to victory.
Maybe if we stretch our brains just a bit into the world of imagination, we can grasp this a little better. Paul reminds us about putting on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of justice, shoes to allow us to spread the Good News everywhere, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. These attributes should be our recognizable “uniforms” aka “costumes” that are just as dramatic as those Marvel or DC superheroes.
As we don our gear of righteousness, we are called to light the way for all to Christ. Our battles against evil are of epic proportions, and the only possible way to win more souls is through Christ. We, humans, are powerless without God’s love and mercy. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given the tools with which to find injustice and evil in this world. However, we must accept these gifts, and move into action through the Word of God.
Finally, as I type, you can probably imagine that I have an inspiring theme song playing in my head. There are so many worthy songs: All Hail the Power of Jesus Name, Onward Christian Soldiers, I Sing the Almighty Power of God, Because He Lives, Go Make of All Disciples, Up From the Grave He Arose. The list is endless.
The bottom line: Christ defeated death. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Loving and Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. May we feel the Holy Spirit burning within us as we walk in faith. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: In difficult times, I will stay focused on the strength of the Lord.
Halllelujah! Pastor Liz
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