Had a chance to meet our pastor today.  It was good, considering we’ve been attending for a few months now, and not formally introduced ourselves or anything.  The point of the meeting was for counsel; seeking direction on how to improve my husbandly qualities.  I asked about things like membership and stuff as well, getting the chance to describe our particular position and how I was coming personally, rather than attending the weekly meetings of the Men’s group and making it to every Sunday service (work prevents, home-duties prevent etc.).

Interestingly enough, and happily, the conversation did not take off in a comfortable, sympathetic, inane sort of way, but directly to something I hadn’t really expected.

The Armor of God.

The Pastor led me through a quick study of Ephesians 6.  I hadn’t ever considered the remarkable placing of 5:22- 6:5 with the armor of God (6:10-17).  Just never thought about it like that.

Ephesians 6:15 and,as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace

What stood out most was the shoes.  The shoes of the gospel of peace.  I always thought of it as a sort of reciprocal result of sharing the Gospel.  Actually, that’s not the point of the shoes.  It’s a matter of positioning, grounding, traction.  In the Gospel, being well founded in the Message so that I am prepared for the attacks and maneuvering required in my Christian life.  There is peace, a grip on the terrain, confidence that is derived from being well grounded in the Gospel.

I sure didn’t say it as well as the Pastor did, but it works for me.   There’s a lot more that went along with this.

It ties in to my husbandly qualities in being prepared for the trials that we both face daily.  Work, school, Scouts and everything else serve up plenty of crises that turn us into real bears.  Being prepared with the armor, including a good foundation in the Gospel, is the way to face our troubles with confidence and hope.

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.