Daily Worship

Armour of God

November 09, 2013 0 0

Ephesians 6: 10-17

‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armour 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 powers and dark authorities of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when that day comes you will 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 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.’

Often it seems that the darkness is pervasive and the struggles go on and on.  With the psalmist we cry ‘where is our God?’  Yet Jesus knew what it meant to be isolated and alone, utterly forlorn and rejected.  ‘Eloi Eloi, Lama sabachthani,’ which means,  'My God my God why have you forsaken me.' (Matthew 27, 46)  How often must that cry be uttered over our blue planet as people feel rejected and broken as the darkness creeps in and terror seeks to find a foothold.  That's where faith matters, to keep on believing in the goodness of God even though at times, the evidence seems contrary.  The darkness doesn't have the last say.  Resurrection breaks in and offers a new hope and a new opportunity.  Yet, still, we need to stand in that gap against evil and for good with our armour fit and ready for its good purpose.

 

Lord God, there are powers and authorities in this world that we can only guess at...shadows and vapours that come and go and still the same chaos and destruction, which seems unending.  Lord, we pray that your Kingdom will prevail against all comers and that in your Kingdom we might find the light and the life that we need to continue in the ways of peace and peacemaking, where children are fed and the homeless and the refugee are given shelter, the widow and orphan are cared for and those whose wounds still affect them find balm for their soul and peace in their heart.  God guide us into your truth and remind us that it is still something we need to fight for with all of your gifts and graces at our disposal.  Amen.

 

Padre David Anderson
Chaplain to The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Padre David Anderson is currently serving in Kabul on Op Herrick 19.  He has taken a series of well-known verses or passages from across scripture which expose and express our human nature in response to war and our hope for something better, God’s peace.