day two

"and that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. so take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. and put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way.

this is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. this is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels.

be prepared. you're up against far more than you can handle on your own. take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.

truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. learn how to apply them. you'll need them throughout your life.

God's word is an indispensable weapon. in the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. pray hard and long. pray for your brothers and sisters. keep your eyes open. keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

~ ephesians 6.10-18, the message

other translations use the imagery of armor to describe the gifts from God that prepare us for the battle called life. i don't know about you, but i don't see too many people wearing breastplates and carrying shields these days. i do better with more modern imagery. instead of gladiator armor, maybe it's easier to visualize modern day under armour (even if "this is no afternoon athletic contest").

instead of the belt of truth, tennis sweatbands.

instead of the breastplate of righteousness, football shoulder pads.

instead of the shield of faith, soccer shin guards.

instead of the helmet of salvation, a baseball helmet.

instead of the sword of the Spirit, a golf club.

we prepare for sport with such diligence and ritual. we wear lucky socks that haven't been washed since the season began, wouldn't dare run out on the lacrosse field without cleats and athletic trainers would step in and speak up if we weren't eating well and hydrating ourselves in preparation for the game. we cheer on our teammates from the bench and encourage each other with a slap on the butt after the huddle.

so why is it that we cut corners with our faith? why is it that we let our friends fall out of love with the Lover of our souls?

i sometimes fall asleep without saying my evening prayers, forget to read scripture each morning, and never have cash when the offering plate comes around. it's no wonder that when times get tough i'm not prepared for the emotional toll.

i think we've let faith become this individual experience with our Creator, when my understanding of the Bible tells me that faith was always about communion with other people, as much as it was about communion with God. we talk about faith in general in our churches, but we rarely get down and dirty with raw honesty. well, if i'm ever gonna make it in this life then i need a community of faith that is going to demand nothing but the honest to goodness truth, a community that will cheer me on to victory, a community that will love me enough to hold me accountable for upholding the precious title of "Christian".

tonight i pray that God would use the next 40 days to foster in me the spirit of faithful discipline. tonight i pray for a community of believers to walk with me through this journey.

because, well, "this is for keeps. a life or death fight to the finish"