I don’t know about you, but my childhood Christmases weren’t all teddy bears and ballet slippers. It was also the season when practical needs came wrapped in holiday paper. One item I could pretty much count on to make an annual appearance under the tree was a new scarf.

When you live through the long winters of northern Iowa, scarves aren’t fashion accessories. They are a vital protection for necks, ears, cheeks and mouths against below-zero temperatures. Mine were homemade and long so there would be enough material to protect every inch of skin that might be at risk for frostbite.

Ephesians has practical gifts for us, too. Gifts that, like my scarf, offer protection for vulnerable places. We are diligent to protect our physical well-being, but God prioritizes our spiritual welfare. Satan, our enemy, has one thing in common with the weather: both are constants that we must plan for and deal with 24/7. As it says in The Message:

God is strong and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.

The battle we are in doesn’t begin with actions, but with attitude and intents--ours or someone else’s. The trouble with spiritual battle is that great harm is often inflicted before anyone recognizes that warfare is underway. Clean-up operations just don’t do it. We must live pre-emptively and our spiritual weapons must be laser-guided, seek-and-destroy ordnance of the largest caliber. And, in Christ, and through the Spirit, these are ours. 

Truth, righteousness, peace, faith and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sister. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.  Ephesians 6 (The Message).

Nancy Shirah