Let me start by stating the obvious… America is in a moral crisis! For me, that is far more of a dilemma than the economic situation that we find ourselves in (although I can’t help but think that the former definitely has to do with the later). Lying politicians, cheating spouses, rampant sexual sin (fornication, homosexuality), killing the unborn, idolatry… and the list can go on and on. As a mother, this gives me reason for pause. I know the temptations that I faced as a young person and now I see that the ones my children are confronted with are temptations on steroids! What then is a mom in 21st century America to do?
My initial reaction to this question is RUN, HIDE! But that wouldn’t accomplish the purposes of God. We are to be salt and light, a beacon set on a hill, not a candle hidden under a bushel basket. So, time to bring out the big guns! Ephesians 6:10-18 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 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.
So, let’s break it down. First, the belt of truth. The warrior wore a belt around his waist that would hold an arsenal of weapons he used to defend himself and the kingdom. We are told to put “truth” on our belt and Scripture tells us that Jesus is all truth. Our fight must be anchored in the truth that comes from Jesus alone. Next, we have the breastplate of righteousness. Again, Scripture tells us that we are to put on the righteousness (right & just thinking) of Jesus Christ. It brings to mind the popular saying of the late 90’s, “What Would Jesus Do”. We must train our children to have this mindset. It should be their default setting. Time for the feet. Those need to be covered with shoes that stand ready and confident because the are crafted with the peace that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. His work on the cross brings us peace and reconciliation with the Father. This is good (no great) news that brings us confidence to stand against the enemy. Now for the shield of faith. Right off the top of my head, two Scriptures come to mind, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”(Rom. 10:17), and “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you; Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has given you.”(Romans 12:3). These verses tell us that our faith comes from knowing what’s in God’s Word and is built in us as God sees fit. We cannot rely on ourselves to produce faith, we are naturally given to doubt. But God doesn’t leave us on our own. He gives us the faith we need to fight off the vicious attacks of our enemy. On to the helmet of salvation. A helmets importance is so obvious, even in our current era. Figuratively, the head is the center for reason and understanding. Physically, it houses our brain, or bodies computer system. Spiritually, it’s where our thoughts come from. So how do we protect this vital body part… salvation. Salvation, that comes only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, trusting in His completed work on the cross. The last element to the armor is the sword. Our sword is the Word of God. In Hebrews 4:12, we are told that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. That is so like our God. We are equipped with a sword that is more powerful and useful than any earthly, human designed sword. Lastly in these verses, we are told to PRAY! I think this may be a momma’s best weapon in defense of her children. We can all get on our knees and cry out to our loving Father to watch over and protect our children. After all, they are really His! We only get them for a short while to love on and lead back to Him. It is a huge job! But we have been given this same armor to wear that we are passing on to our children.
My giant in this… Faith! “Lord, please give more faith so that I can easily let go of my grip on the children that You have blessed me with and gladly release them into Your hands.” It’s battle time!
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