Prayer:
Lord, thank you for bringing us this far in our lives. Equip us, along with the gracious protection, for the dangers that surround us, so that we can give clear witness to your providence. Amen.
Bible Reading:
Ephesians 6:10-20
Silence:
One to two minutes
Reflection:
It is remarkable that we survive from sun up to the time we go to bed, that we live day after day, week after week, year after year without being maimed, damaged, broken, even killed. Do you realize how many opportunities there are for accidents there are; how many new and improved germs and viruses there are; how many things fly over you; how many streets you cross; how many miles of commuting, etc. and amazingly you and I keep on surviving day after day? And this is merely the “physical” world. I do believe that God’s power is revealed daily in our survival rates. To be sure we have the CHP, the EPA, the FAA, OSHA, and all the rest, but even yet! The danger, though, in our spiritual world, I contend, is so much more insidious, “for we contending against principalities, against powers, against the world rules of this present darkness…” Here too, our prayers, “deliver us from evil”, are heard, but in addition to divine intercession, we are graced with the “armor of God” which we dare not merely gloss over. This armor allows us to make a good witness, that is, to stand firm and strong in our daily lives.
Action – Repentance and Creation:
Think about all the dangers, temptations, close calls you have endured today. Multiply that by 50, to start, and then thank God for your life. Then realize your soul is even more in danger, and reach for the armor of God.