Lay Out Your Clothes Tonight
Your Nightly Prayer for Dec. 6, 2024
by Shawn McEvoy
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
"Finally, be strong in the Lord… for our struggle is not against flesh and blood." - Ephesians 6:10,12, NAS
SOMETHING TO PONDER
I’ve got one of those friends who is always so on top of things that he always knows what he’s going to wear the next morning based on what he’s going to be doing that day, what’s expected of him, and with whom he’ll be interacting. Most of the time, he’s even done the ironing. It’s disgusting, but only because I’m full of jealous admiration. If I had that type of preparatory strictness, I can only imagine where I’d be in my health journey, my career, and even my relationships.
But our lesson tonight isn’t about personal discipline or getting ahead. It’s about Paul’s closing words to the church at Ephesus – and to us today – regarding the daily reality of spiritual warfare and the armor God has given us to survive it. It was only very recently that I realized Paul didn’t come up with all this great metaphorical war-ware on his own; most of it was borrowed from the Bible he knew. The Helmet of Salvation and the Breastplate of Righteousness, for example, comes from a prophecy about the Messiah in Isaiah 59:17. I like that a lot. Imagining these items belonging to Jesus as he healed, comforted, sought, and taught makes them somehow more available to me as his spiritual heir. Going further, some think the verse in Isaiah speaks to Christ’s second coming more than his first, indicating he will be taking this armor up again, reminding me that I should be doing the same.
And why? Because the battle is literally non-stop, with souls at stake. And those we think are our enemies aren’t. In fact, they’re the ones who require our protection. Have you ever noticed that among the six pieces Paul describes – belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, sword – only one of them is for offense, but all are utilized defensively? When we prepare our hearts and our bodies to shield and protect ourselves and others, that’s when we internalize Paul’s concept that we’re ALL being wounded by The Real Enemy, not by our neighbor. Instead, what if I, so dressed, ran to someone in need, sheltered another in loving truth, shielded a friend from wrongdoing, or stood up for an opponent’s reputation?
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Lord, just as you wore and will again take up this armor, so make it as real for me as the gym shorts or the suit I will put on in the morning. May I never wound with friendly fire but only help to extinguish the flaming arrows of Evil. In the same way that you are our strong tower (Prov. 18:10), and under your wings we seek refuge in your faithfulness as a shield and bulwark (Ps. 91:4), make me a defender after your heart in my family and for all you bring into my way. In Jesus’ name, amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Consider your own concept of spiritual warfare: Is it scary? Mostly ignored? All too present? Why does Paul’s tone feel realistic-yet-hopeful, even bold? What does he know?
2. Imagine your spiritual armor as something tangible. Where in your home does it hang when you take it off? Where would it need to be for you to see it and remember not to go into battle naked tomorrow?
3. Picture and pray for one person who needs your help – how will you reach them?
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Ylanite Koppens
Shawn McEvoy is the Executive Director of Content for Salem Web Network, where he has served to create Kingdom-blessing media since 2005. He actually gets to manage the teams that produce the good stuff on Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, BibleStudyTools.com, iBelieve.com and GodTube.com. Shawn is also the former co-host of Crosswalk's Video Movie Reviews and the Inside the Editors' Room podcast.
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