Wednesday's Big Idea: Resource to Contend

I was having trouble seeing a clear theme emerge today - I spent a good deal of time in the latter half praying for kids (spurred by Don D.) - especially the kids of our church and Mark H.'s kids who will soon be Oaxaca as they move down for a two year mission.

Rick P started us out with a few of Paul's words: Ephesians 6:10ff, Ephesians 3:16ff and Romans 12 stick out to me. His thoughts that a couple of themes emerge regularly in prayer: Worship and "Contention" (that is contending for and against things.) We certainly did some worshipping and we definitely did some contending.

In thinking through Ephesians 6 ("armor of God"), it is clear we have the resources to both defend ourselves and take the ground that we are given to take. In warfare imagery, Paul tells us we must be equipped with faith, truth, peace, salvation, rightousness and God's word if we are to successfully stand agains the enemy. It is well-worth examining these aspects of ourselves as we begin to directly contend for our children, our spouses, our church. A soldier ill-equipped tends to be a soldier dead. Luckily Paul gives us this encouragement: "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

We may come out worse for wear, but in the end we are left standing. It is like chess - we may lose many of our pieces, but in the end it is the king that matters. When the battle rages, we do everything and when it's over, we are left standing. Keep contending.