Reading
SAA Notes
It is good to meditate on relationship between the armour image and the truth each part portrays. Read Isaiah 59:15-17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8,9. Isaiah places this armour on Christ! Have you ever thought of the Christian’s armour as Christ’s armour? Do you realise how privileged you are?
SJA Notes
* Faithful God, thank You for speaking to us today through Your word.
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, …”
One very comforting thing from today’s passage, in our daily spiritual battle with evil, is that the whole armor of God is very much wrapped up in what we read throughout the rest of scripture.
We have truth. Righteousness. Readiness to tell people about Jesus. Faith. Salvation. God’s Word itself. Prayer.
These are not far-out crazy-alien ideas. This is not a magical suit of armor, a wish-fulfilment rub-the-lamp element.
These realities are grounded in God’s plan; in His steadfast love and faithfulness, His working all things for our good, His defeating death at calvary.
We come back to Jesus. God’s word become flesh. Our salvation. The author and perfecter of our faith. The Good Shepherd who preached to crowds of thousands and to individuals. The (only) righteous one. He always spoke the truth.
This is our God and Saviour, our Lord and King. And the whole armor He gives us is rooted in Him. This is a good thing!
* Father God,
Thank You that You have allowed us to put on this armor, these truths that You have shown us throughout Your word.
Please help us point to Jesus.
Please help us be more like Jesus.
Please help us Lord God, because what else can we do but cry out to You as our Saviour.
Merciful God, thank You for Jesus!
Amen.