For the past two mornings I’ve been reading the sixth chapter of Ephesians, paying particular attention to verses 10 through 20 regarding putting on the whole armor of God. “Stand therefore,

…having fastened on the belt of truth,
…having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
…and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
…In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
…and take the helmet of salvation,
…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
…praying at all times in the Sprit, with all prayer and supplication
…keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…

I have read these verses, sung them, and heard them preached since I was a little girl. As I have been reading them now, though, what came to mind was one word: activity. Putting on the whole armor of God and keeping it on is a very active proposition. Wearing it, we stand firm, but we don’t stand still. There’s an enormous battle going on, and we’re in the thick of it; at least, we’re supposed to be if we’re a soldier of the Cross and a follower of the Lamb.

It seems to me that we sometimes/often forget that there’s a real fight going on. We get caught up in the day-to-day business of our lives, and that seems battle enough without considering the reality of it more deeply. We are happy to strap on truth and righteousness and faith and salvation. Those things makes us feel all warm, snuggly, safe and secure. End of story. But is it really? Not at all. The armor of God is meant for our protection, not as we hover on the sidelines preoccupied with ourselves, but as we engage in the battle, boldly proclaiming the mystery of the gospel.

How does boldy proclaiming the mystery of the gospel fit into my day today, or yours? The schemes of the devil are specifically pointed at preventing that very thing. For some of us, it doesn’t take very much to distract us, and the mystery of the gospel doesn’t even come to mind, let alone boldy proclaiming it.

We need to be aware of our armor and its purpose. We must study to understand what each part means so that we can wear it and use it properly. Our sword is the word of God. It is perfect and sharp to do its work, but we must have a firm grasp on it to wield it deftly. It is our only weapon, and it is abundantly adequate no matter how fierce or subtle or cunning our enemy may be. If we lay our God-given sword aside and choose another weapon, we will lose the battle. If we try to fight without praying at all times and keeping alert, we will be ineffective.

Whatever our responsibilities and opportunities are today—working in an office, washing dishes, teaching children, preaching, changing diapers, preparing a sermon, going to the grocery store—we have been well equipped for boldly proclaiming the mystery of the gospel through our words and our actions. However menial and uninspiring, or however public and challenging the ministry we’ve been given, we have the privilege of being partakers and sharers of the gospel. Thinking about these verses over the last couple of days increases my desire to be alert, to pray, to wear my armor well and to have a firm grip on sword of God. Only then can I have the courage to stand firm and be actively engaged in boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God.