Monday after Trinity XIII - Devotion in semi-Exile
Lection for Monday after Trinity XIII
2 Kings 4:38-5:8 Ephesians 6:1-24
Have you ever wrestled with something? Tim was a high school wrestler, and pretty good at it, but that is not what I am talking about. Now he wrestles every day of his life.
You wrestle every day as well. But your wrestling is not a physical thing, done on a soft mat, in the gym either at school or elsewhere.
God tells us what kind of wrestling we do through Paul’s hand in our epistle lesson. 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.
That, dear friends, in the daily struggle, is how you wrestle each and every day. You wrestle with your faith. Is God there? How come God does not do what I’d like? How come life is so tough? It seems I believe but nothing changes, why?
You wrestle with the teachings of scripture. Did God really create everything in six 24-hour days and rest on the seventh? Did Jonah really get swallowed by a large sea creature? Is there really a heaven? Is there truly a hell? Do I have to believe everything in the Bible, or can I pick and choose?
We wrestle every week? Did God really say believers should tithe? Did God say I need to be in His house every single week? Do I have to truly love God more than ALL other things?
You wrestle with whether or not you should speak out in regard to certain things that our culture is dealing with. Does God begin life in the womb? Is it God’s decision which life is valuable, or is it ours? Did God truly create them male and female? Is marriage God’s institution, or man’s to play with as we see fit?
None of these are easy questions, and while God’s Word speaks clearly, we need to treat those on both sides of these issues with respect and kindness.
Indeed, some are wrestling with these issues in their lives, but that is only because we are all wresting with the sinful desires that try to pin each of us every day. Each and every one of us struggles first of all with the desire to sin. And, then we wrestle with our consciences after we do sin. We all wrestle with the desires of which wage war against the will of God, and we need to remember that 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.
Dearly beloved of God, the wrestling is real.
Wrestlers may face their opponents individually, but they are supported by the team. And more importantly, while individual wrestlers may fail – yes, you and I will fall into sin and lose an occasional match – we have won the victory. Christ has overcome the tempter and won for us the victory.
On the cross, Christ took up all our matches – all our sins – in His own body on the cross. There, He defeated them. Victorious, He reigns over them. He cares for you by delivering that victory.
How does God care for you? He cares for you as body and soul – His word enters you through your ears, water makes your body wet, and His body and blood enter with the bread and wine you eat.
He clothes us in His righteousness. He is the armor of God in which you are clothed. Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. You are baptized into Christ! You are clothed in Christ! You have heard it before that you are clothed with Christ’s righteousness! Here, Christ is described as your armor – He is all your weapons and defense.
Christ is the truth which is belted around your waist, making you to stand upright and proud in the face of any attacks. It is the Gospel, the good news of your salvation which covers our feet and grants you the peace to walk through life.
Although Satan would attack at range, firing all sorts of darts, slings, and arrows at you, assailing you with all sorts of falsehood and in tribulations, it is Christ in whom your faith trusts. He is your shield and buckler. He has already won the victory. The foe cannot harm you.
The helmet of salvation, Christ, guards your mind, granting peace beyond all understanding to life everlasting.
You are not unarmed; God’s Word is a potent weapon. It pierces to the heart of every matter. Christ, the very Word made flesh is the two-edged sword, which has already pierced you, and led you to repentance. He is the sword of healing, granting forgiveness. You are washed in water and the Word.
2 Kings 4:38-5:8 Ephesians 6:1-24
Have you ever wrestled with something? Tim was a high school wrestler, and pretty good at it, but that is not what I am talking about. Now he wrestles every day of his life.
You wrestle every day as well. But your wrestling is not a physical thing, done on a soft mat, in the gym either at school or elsewhere.
God tells us what kind of wrestling we do through Paul’s hand in our epistle lesson. 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.
That, dear friends, in the daily struggle, is how you wrestle each and every day. You wrestle with your faith. Is God there? How come God does not do what I’d like? How come life is so tough? It seems I believe but nothing changes, why?
You wrestle with the teachings of scripture. Did God really create everything in six 24-hour days and rest on the seventh? Did Jonah really get swallowed by a large sea creature? Is there really a heaven? Is there truly a hell? Do I have to believe everything in the Bible, or can I pick and choose?
We wrestle every week? Did God really say believers should tithe? Did God say I need to be in His house every single week? Do I have to truly love God more than ALL other things?
You wrestle with whether or not you should speak out in regard to certain things that our culture is dealing with. Does God begin life in the womb? Is it God’s decision which life is valuable, or is it ours? Did God truly create them male and female? Is marriage God’s institution, or man’s to play with as we see fit?
None of these are easy questions, and while God’s Word speaks clearly, we need to treat those on both sides of these issues with respect and kindness.
Indeed, some are wrestling with these issues in their lives, but that is only because we are all wresting with the sinful desires that try to pin each of us every day. Each and every one of us struggles first of all with the desire to sin. And, then we wrestle with our consciences after we do sin. We all wrestle with the desires of which wage war against the will of God, and we need to remember that 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.
Dearly beloved of God, the wrestling is real.
Wrestlers may face their opponents individually, but they are supported by the team. And more importantly, while individual wrestlers may fail – yes, you and I will fall into sin and lose an occasional match – we have won the victory. Christ has overcome the tempter and won for us the victory.
On the cross, Christ took up all our matches – all our sins – in His own body on the cross. There, He defeated them. Victorious, He reigns over them. He cares for you by delivering that victory.
How does God care for you? He cares for you as body and soul – His word enters you through your ears, water makes your body wet, and His body and blood enter with the bread and wine you eat.
He clothes us in His righteousness. He is the armor of God in which you are clothed. Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. You are baptized into Christ! You are clothed in Christ! You have heard it before that you are clothed with Christ’s righteousness! Here, Christ is described as your armor – He is all your weapons and defense.
Christ is the truth which is belted around your waist, making you to stand upright and proud in the face of any attacks. It is the Gospel, the good news of your salvation which covers our feet and grants you the peace to walk through life.
Although Satan would attack at range, firing all sorts of darts, slings, and arrows at you, assailing you with all sorts of falsehood and in tribulations, it is Christ in whom your faith trusts. He is your shield and buckler. He has already won the victory. The foe cannot harm you.
The helmet of salvation, Christ, guards your mind, granting peace beyond all understanding to life everlasting.
You are not unarmed; God’s Word is a potent weapon. It pierces to the heart of every matter. Christ, the very Word made flesh is the two-edged sword, which has already pierced you, and led you to repentance. He is the sword of healing, granting forgiveness. You are washed in water and the Word.
These are the things in which you are clothed and arrayed to wrestle against the spiritual forces of evil, you are clothed and arrayed for battle in Christ. You are victorious, for you are in Christ the Victor.
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