Dodging the Obstacles of Life   

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 6:12

I was driving to work the other day and ran across another oddity on the freeway.  A computer was in the center lane.  It is early when I hit the road to work so I think it was a computer.  It wasn’t a flat screen monitor; it was one of those older models that are big and clunky. 

So last night I am driving home and I look over and see something in the road in the right lane.  It was a bumper from a car.  I don’t know about you, but driving sometimes scares me.  I have seen so many items lost on the freeway.  I am kind of curious.  How does a Barcalounger fall out of your truck and you not even realize it is missing?  You may think I am kidding, but it was sitting in the middle of a 4 lane highway like it was waiting for someone to come along and take a seat.  It was like this Barcalounger was playing chicken with motorists. 

When you think about it, we often lose things on the freeway because they aren’t secured.  I like to go on the theory that there are not enough bungees, ropes and ratchet straps to secure whatever I am carrying in the back of my truck.

The same goes for many of us when we don’t have a secure relationship with our heavenly Father.  We take chances by not clinging to him.  We start thinking that we don’t need Him when we desperately do.  If we are not secure in our relationship with Him we will often become just like the Barcalounger, bumper or mattress.  We are sitting in the middle of the freeway waiting for life to hit us. 

I believe preparation is the key.  If we are going to be prepared for this life we need to strap on the full armor of God.  Satan is just out there waiting for us to fall and we need to use everything in God’s arsenal to defend ourselves from him. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I often am not prepared for the challenges of this life.  I am like a lost piece of furniture on the freeway.  I need your strength, guidance and security to face what life throws my way.  Help me to be prepared and to use the tools You provide; truth, righteousness, faith and salvation. I praise You for being my strength in times of trouble.

    

Scripture: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17