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 6:14-18
I have always found it fascinating that Paul specifically combines readiness and the gospel of peace. I had to do a fair amount of thinking and praying before I understood why. I was especially flummoxed by why he would tell Christians to fit their feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. I mean, I can understand why soldiers need to be at peace in their hearts. But why feet?
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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 6:14-18
I don’t think it was a coincidence that Paul likened righteousness to a breastplate. Righteousness protects our vital spiritual organs in the same way that the Roman breastplate protected the soldier’s heart and lungs. It’s pretty much deadly to have an arrow or bullet go through a soldier’s heart or lungs because they are our vital organs. We can’t function without them. 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 6:14-18
I’ve written extensively about the need for truth – I think because I’ve seen how lies have had such a devastating effect on my life, the lives of the people around me, society at large – even the human race. As a matter of fact, the Fall happened as a result of a lie. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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. 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 6:10-18
A few years ago, I heard a quote from a Hallmark movie that really struck me as profound. The made-for-TV film was based on a Christian romance novel – and neither of those mediums is a place I’m likely to go looking for life advice. But God can use anything to get our attention!
The quote was from the original Love Comes Softly movie when Clark Davis, the dad in the situation, has married Marty Claridge for the sole purpose of giving his daughter a mother again. Missy, the daughter, despises Marty’s intrusion into her life, causing Marty to question the wisdom of coming at all. Clark tells her, “Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you’re becoming. And I’m counting on the fact that knowing you is going to add to the woman that Missy will become.” |
Sarah GraceHi! I'm Sarah Grace, and I'm so glad you stopped by the Wings of Heaven blog! You can find short posts for easy reading or longer, more in-depth musings! I hope you're blessed! Archives
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