Suit Up!

Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

         We are at war! For me, this is one of the hardest truths to keep in the forefront of my mind. Our lives are pretty easy compared to many others in the world and even in America. It could also be that my life feels tame and sometimes unimportant. But I am thankful for our women’s study, The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer: it has reminded me that I need to be prepared for battle every day. I am not saying that I am doing it perfectly, by any means, but I need that constant reminder to be putting on the full armor of God and engaging in the battle.

         Engaging in the battle. Engaging is the key word for me. I have a passive personality, and even though I hate to admit it, I like comfort. So, it is easy for me to just glide through life and not stay as prepared as I should for battle. Whether we like it or not, there is a war going on around us all the time, and people’s eternities are at stake, God’s glory is at stake, and personally, God’s best for our lives is also at stake.

         As we have done this study on the armor of God, I am constantly reminded of Romans 6. In seminary, we studied this in depth, and it struck me to my core that I make a choice every day, consciously or not, to present myself for use by God or unrighteousness. That is a horrific thought – that I would serve Satan, my enemy! And yet, if you read Romans 6, particularly verses 12-13, we have two options – to offer ourselves to serve righteousness or unrighteousness. I personally have realized that if I am not actively seeking God, then I can often be passively letting my own selfish desires control my actions, which is a passive way of serving unrighteousness. If you think about it, those two options break down into three daily choices: I choose to serve God consciously, I serve unrighteousness unconsciously because I am not actively seeking God, or I serve unrighteousness by choice in full on rebellion of God.

         Most of us ‘good Christians’ would never serve unrighteousness consciously, but how many of us go through part or all of our day, making decisions without acknowledging or consulting God? It is easy to do. I go to the store, I know what groceries I need, I am friendly to people, but did I prepare my heart before the Lord and put on His armor and ask if there is someone He wants me to have a divine interaction with? Or, I am at home doing dishes and laundry and all the normal mundane things, but what if the Lord wants me to go talk to my neighbor or do something else? Have I offered Him my day, and do I consistently ask Him what He wants from me? This extends to attitude and not just action. Am I grumbling as I do laundry for the millionth time and wishing my little boy was a neater eater, or do I consciously choose to praise God for all that He has done for me? Thank You, God, that we live in a day and age with washers and dryers, thank You that I have use of all my limbs to make this easy, thank You for my precious little boy who is learning to eat and do things independently so that I don’t always have to feed him, etc!

         I know I am guilty of living life on auto-pilot, of being a good neutral Christian. What about you? Are you engaging in the spiritual battle that is going on all around us? Are you offering yourself, consciously and actively, to the Lord every day? Even as I say this, I can feel the guilt rising in all of us. We also need to remember that we do not do this alone or in our own strength. Sometimes, the first step can be to ask God to give you the extra measure of grace to choose Him and His ways, for the Holy Spirit to help you remember to put on the armor of God every day. Priscilla Shirer pointed out in Ephesians 6:10-11 that it is really a passive verb and could be better translated – ‘be strengthened in the Lord.’ We do not muster up the strength to fight this battle, but as we seek God, He strengthens us with His infinite might. If you feel weary and weak, take heart. God is strong enough and can give you the strength, the determination, and the perseverance you need for the battle. But let us pray for each other to seek Him and live purposefully by putting on the armor of God and engaging in the battle for His glory, for the sake of others’ eternity, and for living the abundant life God gives to the fullest.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him!" Rom 15:13

Judith Graham

An Endless Song

My life flows on in endless song

Above earth’s lamentation

I hear the real though far off hymn

That hails a new creation

Through all life’s tumult pain and strife

I hear its music ringing

It sounds an echo in my soul

How can I keep from singing?

Last year on a trip back from a choir event in Athens, Ga, I was listening to a podcast from the Rabbit Room concerning the act of “creating.” The idea was that this inherent need to create in the human spirit is one of the greatest manifestations of how we reflect the nature of God.  God the Father creates with just words and sometimes even just His breath. “And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light….then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”(Gen 1:3; 2:7)  Singer/Songwriter, Jason Gray,  wrote a song based on the idea that the very name of God “YHWH” is heard in the sound of our breathing.  Try it! Breathe in and breathe out and try not to hear the name of our Father, YHWH, in this mundane but absolutely necessary physical act of life.  How beautiful is the idea that the moment a baby is born, he/she can’t help but say the name of the LORD with the first breath?! And how fitting that when we are in our last moments, His name is the last word we echo with our final breath?. As we are made in His image, we cannot help but echo His name in every moment we are present on this Earth.  

The podcast continued discussing this idea of “creation” being inherent in our nature as a new creation in Christ. “But, God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ-by grace you have been saved….For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:4-5, 10) The word “workmanship” can be translated as handiwork, and masterpiece as well, but the original Greek word is “poiema.” This is the word from which we get our English word poem or poetry.  The speaker continued to talk about how all lyrics of songs are poetry, and, as I was listening, I felt tears begin to fall down my face. As a singer, this idea is especially poignant to me because every note I sing has to begin with the breath, the name of God. Every pitch is an echo of the song He first began when I was born because I am God’s workmanship. My Father wrote and sang a song, and it was me. And everything I do, everything I create, is fueled by the breath, the name of my God.  

What I choose to do with my life each day, with each breath, then becomes even more meaningful.  The idea that my life is an endless song and He created me in Christ for the works He prepared for me to do means that walking with my Father, listening for the echoes of His word and song to guide my life is imperative. But, it’s difficult. How can I focus on the sound of my breath and hear the song of my God when the din of the world’s noise is so loud around my soul?  Sometimes it feels like you are quite literally having to hold your hands over your ears just to think amidst the racket of distractions and busyness in every day life.  Your breath may be shallow and fast because of the pressure to perform at a certain level or anxiety over the future. You may become uncertain of which song is your song, which words are His.  The noise is so loud inside your soul at times, it feels like the roar of a jet plane on the runway.  How could you hear anything above that? 

While though the tempest loudly roars, 

I hear the Truth, it liveth

And though the darkness ‘round me close, 

Songs in the night it giveth

No storm can shake my inmost calm, 

While to that rock I’m clinging. 

Since Christ is Lord of Heaven and Earth, 

How can I keep from singing? 

This classic folk hymn has been “ringing” in my mind for several weeks now and reminded me of this truth that meant so much on that car ride home last year. Whenever I doubt my purpose, my song, Christ is still Lord of Heaven and Earth.  He is still my Creator, still my Composer and Lyricist.  He speaks and creates new life into souls that are empty and dead. He breathes life into my every moment.  He inspires me to create and speak life into those around me.  Every action, every word, every song I sing is fueled by His name. If these things are true, then even in the midst of the darkness, the overwhelming chaos, the pressure of future uncertainties, His song is a melody of peace that may be soft, but it is there…and how can I keep my soul from singing along?!  

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart

A fountain ever springing

All things are mine since truth I’ve found!

How can I keep from singing? 

--Gabrielle Haston

Lessons-- from the Smoky Mountains to the British Prime Minister

Brant and I were on the way to a conference and spent two nights in Townsend, “the quiet side of the Smokies.” As we had coffee on our balcony in the afternoon, looking out at the beautiful Smoky Mountains, I thanked the Lord for Psalm 121:  “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help…my help cometh from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth.” Wow! The very Creator of those gorgeous mountains is there to help me!

The very next morning as we were on the same balcony reading our Bibles, the mountains were gone! The clouds had moved in. But…were they really gone? NO! It is just like the times when we are not sure God is there. He is! There are just clouds of sorrow, anger, busyness, or distractions that blot Him from our view. That same Psalm tells us He never slumbers or sleeps.

I have just had the privilege of reading GOD AND CHURCHILL, a book written by Churchill’s great-grandson Jonathan Sandys and Wallace Henley. The most important person in Churchill’s life when he was growing up was his nanny, Elizabeth Everest. She was a passionate woman of prayer, teaching young Winston Scriptures, and explaining the world to him in Christian perspective. This helped him to grasp the horror of Nazism.

 Even later in life, he often quoted verses from the Bible that she had taught him. Psalm 46 (“God is our refuge and strength...”) was one of his favorites he had memorized with his nanny.  Churchill said: “I did not hesitate to ask for special protection when about to come under the fire of the enemy; nor to feel sincerely grateful when I got home safe to tea.” J Elizabeth Everest’s picture was by his bedside when he died in 1965, at the age of 90 years old.

From my reminder in the Great Smoky Mountains, hidden by fog, to the example of the Prime Minster of England, striving to “save Christian civilization from Nazism,” this magnificent truth is for all of us...”God cares for me, too!”

 --Maylou Holladay

Rejoice In God

I’m so nosy. When I see people go through difficult times, I want to ask what God has taught them through their experiences. Knowing that God sometimes takes us through trials to teach us about Himself makes me anxious to know what He’s up to. And the more difficult the situation, the stronger my curiosity grows. But I’ve learned to be careful about asking. People are surprised at these questions and often don’t have an answer. It’s  personal and not everyone likes to share. I’ve gotten that “deer in the headlight” look a few times.

Whether we share or not, we can know God knows us intimately and wants us to know Him too! It’s one of the most important things to Him. He has gone to extreme lengths to reveal Himself to us; He sent the prophets to preach, gave us His Word in written form, sent Jesus to earth to teach and save us, and sent His disciples into the world with the good news.

In Romans 5:11, Paul says we “rejoice (show great delight in) in God.” In context, he’s writing about us being reconciled to God and obtaining access to Him.

Access to God.  Wow.

We have access to our Mighty and Powerful Creator! He made the earth and everything in it! He created the sun, moon, stars, and millions of solar systems that cannot be measured! And the detail with which He made these things! And yet, He knows everything that’s going on in our lives and promises to never leave us.

He is all-wise and all-knowing.

Through His love, sacrifice, and forgiveness, He makes us holy.

He is our Shepherd. He protects us, comforts us, and provides for us.

So, let us “rejoice in God” and all that He is!

(And in case you were wondering, He taught me these things through my breast cancer trial.)

joyce hague