Member Devo- Beth Gilbertson
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.
“[I] believe that God protects me from nothing but sustains me in everything” - Gregory Boyle.
I read this quote found in a fantastic book called Barking To The Choir in my first week of sheltering at home, and it has danced through my mind ever since.
God does not promise he will keep me out of harms way, but He does reveal in Ephesians he will be my strength (v. 10). He will sustain me in all things through Christ.
Temporary comfort will not bring rest to my weary soul. My head wants Netflix and wine. My soul needs God’s word. The comforts of a stimulus check or hopeful stability on the horizon won’t ultimately quench this restlessness that I battle with daily.
We long for sustained strength.
As we experience loneliness, anxiety, and grief as a community, let us remember that Jesus emptied Himself for our sake; therefore, we have full access to the Father. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we can be strong in the Lord.
Now, let’s suit up (v. 11) Practically speaking, in these days of trial, cling to these things: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and God’s word.
If you feel weak in this season (as I very much do), find strength in Jesus. He has a reserve of power unlike anyone else. Pray for one another often (v. 18) We are able to strengthen each other in this time of uncertainty by prayer in the Spirit.
As followers of Jesus, we can stand in these days of hardship. We can find readiness in the Gospel of peace. We have a blessed assurance in the Living Hope that will sustain us each day.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken.