Ephesians 6:10-18-1 Samuel 17:38-51
Because of my extreme humanness I really put a lot of pressure on the Holy Spirit who lives within me thanks to God's abundant Grace. That Spirit has been forced to work on me for over 75 years now and looking back I can truly say it's always been there but we haven't always been on the same channel (100% my fault). Over the last several years we've become better acquainted and recently it's really drawn me to the passage in Ephesians it wanted me to get a better handle on.
Like so many I've heard it preached, and I've read over and around it for as long as I can remember. Paul telling the Ephesians in a way they could relate to and understand about armor from God to protect them as they took the Gospel to the world around them. They lived in a time where armor was a part of their world daily. Each piece described by Paul was in front of them every day. In addition most of them were familiar with the story of young David as he confronted Goliath and his inability to wear Saul's armor when he met the giant face to face on the battle field generations ago. It was a great passage but to me marginal to my life. I was too literal, easy to accept it as an effort by Paul to give Christians of long ago something they could understand, but mostly biblical literature to me.
Recently all that changed. As I reread these passages a new light came on. This passage was not about amor of the ancient world. It was written to me, about my life and world today, December 2020. I had always read this as a 'hunker down' passage. Believe and follow it to protect yourself. While it does have those truths it is much more, especially when we relate it to all the messages of the Scripture. This message has so much meaning to all christians in every age when we read it as a small part of the whole.
I now see it relating to the David story but totally different now. It's not only about 'hunkering down' with armor but reaching out with confidence, without fear and embolden with truth. It's now become a 'get it on' passage as opposed to a 'hunker down' passage. Paul is telling us what David showed us so many years before. David could not walk or function with Saul's armor. The full sized helmet, breastplate, sword, shield, belt and shoes would not fit and was unnecessary. All David needed was the belt of 'truth' God was in charge, all powerful, and walking every step with him. He needed the inner 'peace' that came from knowing the creator of the universe was in charge and would be glorified by what he did much more than the oversize shoes.
He needed 'righteousness' not from Saul's man-sized breastplate but but from his own relationship with his God. An oversized shield was replaced by 'faith' that his God's will would suffice in any situation and his sword would be the very 'Spirit of the God' he served. More than an oversized helmet he only needed his 'salvation' and reconciliation with the father to carry out his mission.
These passages are not going to mean the same to everyone at the same time. That is why we are directed by a 'living Bible', it speaks to each one as needed. To me my message, designed for me, on this day is to see it as moving from a 'hunkered down' version to a 'get it done' view. Why should I ever hesitate to further what God has provided to me to do and accomplish in Glorifying Him and doing His work. My armor was built in the day I accepted him, His Grace and His Mission for me.
