"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes." Ephesians 6:11
My son had to recite
Eph. 6:13-17 last week in school (yes, the whole thing!). This verse came to my mind a lot this week as I watched my mother go through an unrelenting series of physical, emotional, and spiritual attacks. After being struck with a large kidney stone that wouldn't pass, she went through a series of hospital and doctors visits that are still not over. The Lord was with us through that process as I have written about earlier, but seeing my mother in that much pain was difficult.
On top of the physical battles she has waged over the last week, she has had to deal with emotional turmoil as well. Her last annual homeowners meeting was last night. My mother is on the board of this association and they were electing a new board. Being the president of this association for her has not only been a thankless job, but due to one person in her community, it has become abusive. My mother has had to change her phone number due to threatening phone calls, post police officers at every meeting, enlist an attorney to handle the threats by mail; she cannot walk in her community or enjoy the pool. This woman is unstable and her presence has taken a lot of joy out of the home in which my mother has worked so hard to live in. My family has begged her to resign from the board over the last 2 years due to the stress she is under. She refuses. The only reason she gives is because she doesn't want her community to be run by idiots and she made the commitment to be on the board.
So last night I watched my mother, so weak physically she was shaking, head out to the meeting. She easily could have let the other board members run the meeting - she had a valid excuse for not being there. But she didn't. She put on her armor of God and headed out - her prayer warriors doing their job by praying for her every moment during the meeting. Other warriors came to her side on cue - my husband showing up to give her support, a friend on the board who stood arm and arm with her, a police officer who told the unstable woman to shut up and sit down when she started getting out of control, and God the Almighty One who gave my mother strength to "extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one". She made it through the meeting, even having to listen to verbal attacks, and cried from relief upon arriving home.
The enemy roams this dark world - don't think for one minute that he doesn't. The Lord wouldn't have instructed us so eloquently in Ephesians 6 how to put on the armor of God if He didn't know that we would need it or if He didn't expect us to use it. You don't need the armor if you stay in your house all day and don't get involved. You don't need armor if you say "it's not my problem" and walk away. You don't need the armor if you don't listen to what He wants of you and obey Him - even if it's out of your comfort zone.
As I watched my mom last night I was overcome with pride as her daughter. She could have walked away and said "it's not worth it", but she didn't. She has stood strong when most would have given in, and God has honored her for it. She put on the armor the way God intended and set out into battle - and she won. Her victory wasn't met with waving banners, applause, and a victory celebration as it should have been. No, her victory was just in the knowledge that she finished the race God asked her to run. And at this finish line she was met with open arms of a Father who loves her, and an extremely proud daughter who won't soon forget this life lesson exemplified by her mom.
I had a great time doing it so here is a picture of it.
I had a great time doing it so here is a picture of it.
