Right about the time my weather alert went off on my phone on Tuesday night, my phone rang. Emily was calling to tell me we were under a tornado warning and to shelter in place. I tried to call Chris, who was still at work, and his words startled me. “I need to call you back. We’re about to get hit and I need to get everyone to a safe place. I’ll call you back.” I grabbed my go-bag (thank you, best friend, for making me one for my birthday), took two pillows and a blanket from the couch, and put on my tennis shoes to wait out the warning. I wasn’t sure where the tornado had been spotted, but I needed to be prepared for whatever came.
As the warning came and went, I was safe. But the one thing I thought about during that period of waiting was how our weatherman, James Spann, recommends a helmet for sheltering in place. It’s really the running joke around here. But it’s a great safety precaution…especially if your house is about to fall in over your head or a projectile is headed for your brain! And I didn’t have one. I’ve talked about it. I’ve joked about it with everyone else. And still, I’ve never actually gotten one.
Why am I the same way about the armor of God? I’ve put on the breastplate of righteousness. I’ve taken up the shield of faith. I’ve got my sword of the Spirit at my side. I walk out the front door prepared for battle and I’ve left my helmet of salvation behind. Then I’m wandering through the day thwarting the devil’s stupid attempts at making me stumble and falter in my faith in God, and I’m wondering why I’m struggling so much.
The helmet of salvation reminds us that our salvation has secured a place in heaven at the Father’s feet. It allows us to stay focused on the Almighty. It help keep our eyes on the things above and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Really, EVERY piece of the armor of God is essential. If we miss any piece as we prepare for war, we are ill-equipped for the fight. It’s just that simple.
Let me encourage you, sweet friends, to put on the WHOLE armor of God as we face the day. Let’s be completely prepared for what satan and the worlds throws our way. We can trust that when we are fully assembled, we are ready to defend ourselves.
~Erin
Iron Porch 