I remember going to a circus when I was young and seeing lions jump through rings of fire. That was really amazing to me! Later in my youth I found myself jumping through my own rings of fire, not always keeping my focus on the center and sometimes getting burned.
Making progress requires focus and practice just like jumping through hot rings engulfed with flames. Those lions were trained and practiced many times before they performed. Likewise we need to focus and practice and become skilled in avoiding those things in life that can burn us. How do we do that?
I was personally burned and scarred many times in my youth and teenage years not really knowing where to put my focus or how to jump through, around, or get past dangerous things that could harm me. It is no different for the youth of today. They face rings of fire everyday!
Today in church we talked about ‘Putting on the Armour of God’ which is the word of God or truth contained in the Holy Scriptures. The Armour of God is protection for all against the adversary and his cunning and deceitful ways. God has not put us here on earth without instructions (or armour) in how to stay safe and protected.
We are all in the middle of a great battle between good and evil. We all desperately need the Armour of God which is truth and righteousness to win this war. The adversary will always present us with rings of fire that sparkle and glisten in an effort to deceive us. But…wearing the Armour of God will give us the strength and protection to walk around or past rings of fire without being burned.
My scars remind me of a time when I did not have on the Armour of God. I feel safe and protected now as I strive to follow the teachings of Christ and those scars are becoming less and less noticeable. There is nothing that our Father in Heaven wants more than to see His children return home safely.
By Tanya Christiansen
Put on the Armour of God!
Ephesians 6 :13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
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