Dressed and Ready
Mornings are fun in a house with four children eight and under. It doesn’t help that Tara and I are not morning people. We hit snooze way too many times and then jump out of bed to quickly dress and feed the kids to get them to their places on time. Dressing a two-year-old who is still half asleep and wanting you to leave them alone is a skill set we are not born with. I think putting clothes on an octopus would be easier. Some mornings I think it would be easier to just pick him up with what he has on and throw him in the car. This, however, is not a socially acceptable answer to our problems. We expect to have people dressed appropriately before leaving the house. (Well, unless you are heading to Wal-Mart. That’s a different story.)
There is one aspect of dressing that many miss every morning. That is the need for us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the day that lies ahead. Unless we are prepared spiritually we will find ourselves in situations in which we are not prepared. This will lead to poor choices or inappropriate responses. Paul tells us that every day we must put on the full armor of God. We are not fully dressed for the day until we have taken the time to be spiritually dressed, ready to take on the spiritual warfare that wages on around us.
Paul says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)
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