A Great Way to Start the Day

(This message was originally published on September 25, 2013) This morning I had the privilege of standing around a high school flag pole. My oldest daughter reminded me that it was national "See You at the Pole" day and she was going to be there. I was flanked by parents, church members, school faculty & staff, and a cadre of praying students! The early morning prayer gathering was a tremendous blessing.

This morning's student-led prayer gathering reinforced a message from Ephesians 6 that I shared earlier this week while meeting with SBCV pastors across Southwest Virginia.

Ephesians 6:10ff is a Bible text that is familiar. The Apostle Paul calls us to be "strong in the Lord" and to put on the armor. In Ephesians 6 we are reminded that this life is a spiritual battle. Yet, we have victory in Jesus! Ephesians 6:10ff calls us to "wake-up" to the spiritual battle and the fact that the enemy is real. We are called to "take-up" the armor of God. The Lord has equipped us for the battle. We read Paul's request for prayer, and that tells me that I need to "pray-up." And the last few verses of Ephesians 6 remind me that we are in this battle together. I am to "team-up" with fellow followers of Jesus. We must be allies in this spiritual battle.

I saw Ephesians 6 lived out this morning. As a father, I looked around a flag pole and saw my fourteen year old daughter taking up the armor of God, praying in Jesus' name, and surrounded by her allies in the good fight of faith!