A Very Ephesian Morning

*these are the thoughts I woke up with this morning...and have been surrounding me almost constantly the last week or so*

Ephesians 5: 10--11a: "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God..."

Are you saying I don't have enough strength? Ordinarily, I'd be offended. Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm extraordinarily experientially aware of this reality...so I won't put up much of a fight on that. You're mighty. Frankly, that's not even arguable in my brain.

But "put on" some armor? What? Are we off to battle?

(*Next thought: "Yes. Absolutely. You know it and you know it. You can go without the armor if you want, but smart money's on putting on, kid."*)

Ephesians 5: 11b: "that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

Schemes? What schemes?

Oh, you mean those nagging little things like your mom being stricken with a disease that cause all sorts of doubt and negative thoughts and anxiety and fear? Those things?

Or is it the reality that you're seeing an awful lot of teenagers that are neither hot nor cold, but incredibly lukewarm? That even though you've got kids doing drugs and having sex and skipping Sunday School and lying to their parents about how lousy their small group is and you know it and you haven't lovingly confronted them? And what about those that have been around for a while and you're watching them fall prey to elementary principles of the world and empty philosophies and the sensory pleasures--even though they're still "good kids?" That even those "good kids" aren't reaching out to the younger ones who struggle? Those things?

You know, disciples look like their teacher, right? Worried about that mirror of your students in your own life? Maybe you should, right?

Are you ministering to their parents, who often don't even know what they don't know? What about that?

Or have you been spending enough time with your staff? They need you, you know. Been making sure they've got enough support? What about that?

You know you're wasting your life and time in ministry, right? You could make twice as much money doing half as much work with half as much emotional drain if you'd just go get a real job, wouldn't you?

Ephesians 5: 12, "For our stuggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Okay, I get it. Under attack from the enemy. But I can't see it. How in the heck to I get ready to fight that kind of enemy? I mean, this is bigger than me...

Ephesians 5: 13, "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm..."

Oh, okie dokie. The full armor is Yours? It'll help me resist in those days when the enemy attacks? Alrighty then...

...Girded loins of truth? Check!
...Breastplate of righteousness? Check!
...Feet shod with cleats of the Gospel of peace? Check!
...Shield of faith? Check!
...Helmet of salvation? Check!
...Sword of the Spirit? Check!

Well, at least as this soldier can adequately evaluate and check...then "Check!"

Then, Ephesians 5:18ff, "With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert...

Praying.
Fending off the fiery darts & flaming missles.
On the alert.

And it's only 8:15AM.

Sheesh.

*please forgive me if you're not interested in your pastors being this open in a public forum...I'll delete the post if that's the case...but this has been extremely cathartic regardless*