Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. 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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and wit your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all 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. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for the Saints."
Growing up I was pretty tomboyish. I liked to ride my bike, catch water snakes, tadpoles and lizards, dig ditches with my dad and gather the chicken eggs from the coop... I tried to ride our sheep a few times and I was never afraid to get dirty or muddy. But this tomboy was also very sensitive. I remember a neighborhood boy teased me once and my dad found me sitting on the curb, next to my bike with tears streaming down my face. My dad always had sweet words of advice and worked hard to teach me how to forgive mean neighborhood boys like Jesus did, and how to live more like a duck... to think of insults like water rolling off a ducks back. In high school my dad tried a new approach. He would listen carefully to me and then smack me in the forehead and say "Life's tough, wear a helmet!", we would both laugh and then we would discuss the best approach to whatever I was facing at the time.
The truth is, life IS tough! God's Word gives us some wisdom as well, wear a helmet! To keep fighting the good fight, day in and day out, our salvation needs to be in the forefront of our minds. We need to live life with eternal perspective. Our lives on this earth are short. When we take our last breath on this earth our bodies will begin the process of returning to dust. All that matters in that moment is our salvation.
Our desperate need of salvation is woven through all of history. Since the moment Adam and Eve sinned, the entire human race has been in great need of redemption. Evil and sin run rampant in our world and our flesh is so prone to wander from our Maker, so easily blinded by the lies of the ever so cunning serpent. The Bible from beginning to end is a beautiful story of redemption. A story of salvation for those who look to Jesus Christ. Jesus, fully God, fully man, born of a virgin, died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin, so that we can have peace and relationship for eternity with a holy God. It isn't just woven through scripture, it's has been woven into our hearts - our complete make up as humans. I have encountered people who have never heard of Jesus, yet have spent their lives sacrificing chickens or even hurting themselves in hopes that it is enough to appease spirits or gods for the wrong they have done. We were built to worship and be in relationship with our Creator. Our hearts and souls yearn for the vacancy in our beings to be filled and the only way to fill that void, the only way to find peace with God is through Jesus. He is our salvation.
Even when we know the truth, and are saved, our human flesh still desires to put self on the throne instead of bowing to our Maker. Without God's truth reigning in our lives our human desire will be to bow to self every time. It is sometimes a daily battle to live everyday with His eternal perspective, it's not about what I want for this moment. It's about living this moment for Him, in a way that will change me and change others forever. How I live, even in the small things makes a difference. I am forever grateful for the gift of salvation and freedom in Christ. My love for my Savior ignites a passion in me to be who He has called me to be and to live how He has asked me to live. When my words and actions reflect my hope of salvation others can see what a difference Jesus has made in my life. When I live for myself, it is often lonely, meaningless and full of selfish desires to please myself. No matter how much chocolate cake I eat, money I spend, time I waste...I still feel the emptiness of life with out Christ. When I am living for God, basking in the beauty and grace of His salvation, I am free, I can focus on loving others. That, my friend, has proven to be way more fulfilling than living to love myself.
The helmet of salvation was intended for the believer. It can only be put on your head when you believe. The head is obviously a major target, and we can protect it with the hope we have in our salvation, the promise of eternal life with Christ. We desperately need a helmet, the rest of our armor would be pretty ineffective with out a head. We are of no use with out our heads on straight! Satan is constantly at work attacking our minds with thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and also the lie that we don't need a Savior and are enough on our own- pride. Our hope of salvation is what anchors our hearts and thoughts in the assurance and promise of eternal life through Christ. John MacArthur says "...although a Christians feelings about his salvation may be seriously damaged by Satan inspired doubt, his salvation itself is eternally protected and he need not fear its loss...Security is a fact, assurance is a feeling that comes to the obedient Christian."
Live today inspired by the One who gave His life so that you could live. Live in the light, you have been rescued from the darkness. Live free from doubt or fear. He paid the price for your freedom, He SAVED you, do not live as though you are still bound. Live this short life, that you have been gifted, with as much gusto, love, grace and perseverance that your being can contain for the glory of God. You have been saved! And that sweet salvation gives you somethings amazing to live for...eternity.
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