"Therefore, put on the full armor of God; so in the day when evil comes, that you may stand your ground against the forces of the Evil One. For our struggle is not against man but against the spiritual forces of evil. Stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." (Ephesians. 6)
There will always be some things that are hard to talk about. Taking a stand on principle, where it may cost you dearly, is one of those. And whether you refer to the descriptive texts of scripture or not, there’s always been enormous significance when human life defends a holy cause or freedom from tyrannical evil.
Talking about giving your life in defense of a cause is kind of heavy stuff. I think there are many who would leave that up to others; like the military, law enforcement, or firefighters. It appears many are indifferent to this concept. But as created beings we were given the tools we need to take on the constant challenges and attacks of the devil. It’s the scriptures that provide guidance for this life and it’s not all happy, joyful stuff. There’s going to be some pain. There’s going to be disappointment. But be on guard; the sin that haunts every human on the planet is only one bad decision away from causing you to stumble.
Our lives are complex. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have to sort through things like contranyms; words with dual meanings. “Transparent”: invisible or obvious? “Trip”: journey or stumble? “Dust”: fine particulates or to brush something clean? “Strike”: to hit something or miss? “Consult”: to get advice or give advice? “Custom”: common practice or specially made item? “Bolt”: to flee or to fasten? You feel lost, confused. There needs to be a strategy to work through the noise, advice for the unknowns and a battle plan to take on the villains that seek to derail your journey, your assignment.
It simply defies our understanding and logic but the power of the Holy Spirit becomes our Advocate and Champion; without which, we would surely cave-in to the pressures. At some point we need to stop fooling ourselves; the current pandemic has reminded us there are many things we are at the mercy of. Our knowledge is limited, our control is limited. And for the most part, mankind continues to twist our Creator’s fundamental truths and guidance; many end up believing in their own self-importance. Obviously, that is foolish; and backwards.
So here’s the thing: we are not promised heaven on earth in this present age. As believers, the reward for those struggles and hardships awaits us after this life in a place we can only attempt to describe. The heaven of the saints, the heaven of angels, the heaven of God himself.
Don’t lose heart, don’t believe the political spin, and don’t fall for promises of those who would infringe your God-given rights as free-thinking people. This could be America’s finest hour. From the extraordinary valor of the young men at Omaha Beach to the heroic decisions made during the Apollo 13 mission, our country will once again rise to the occasion and be a source of Christ-centered, faith-based inspiration for her people and the world.
While this isn’t the only crisis we face, like it or not, the pandemic is now a part of our generation’s history. Whether you argue that this is Divine anger or a circumstantial event due to humanity’s error or ignorance, this is certainly a call to wear your armor; now is not a time for weakness and indecision. You can be part of the solution or part of the problem. The enemy is real and the battle is ramping up. For those who have ignored the signs, it’s now time to take a stand; we get one shot at this. Let’s make it count. There will never be a more noble cause.
You’ve got everything to gain.
“Three-minute exposure; a snapshot of life’s imperfect harmony,” by Stew McAuley.
Encouraging your Christian Worldview.
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