Scripture and Song for May 14, 2011

Scripture Passage: Ephesians 6: 10-18

"¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

 ¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 ¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

 ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 ¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 ¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The Apostle Paul in this passage compares the Christian task to that of a battle that requires serious armor. Christ had warned His disciples that opposition to His message would be strong and relentless. Paul reaffirms that warning in this passage. Such danger still exists to this very day, and many believe the threat to Christians in today's world is as stark as it has been in several centuries.

Thus, we must prepare ourselves by putting on the whole armor of God. But let us also remember that the bravest of warriors need solace, encouragement, and blessing. We are spiritual children of God who need the constant care of our loving Father. We can get that abundantly in our relationship with Christ.

The following song speaks of this. It is a comforting song for the warrior in battle, written by one of the most prolific song writers today, Twila Paris. She sings well too, and has been one of my very favorite singers since this song was released in 1984. This one is called, 'The Warrior is a Child.'