Now is the time for battle……

2 – Tighten Your Belt

……. having tightened the belt of truth around your loins… Ephesians 6:14(Amplified)

Today I watched a professional window cleaner working and I was interested to see that he wore a belt as part of his ‘tools of trade’. In his belt at the back were tucked a wad of clean rags, extra mop heads and sponges and his mobile phone – a necessity for a man on the move without an office. That belt needed to be firmly fastened so that he lost none of his accoutrements.

In this passage the apostle Paul is writing to instruct believers on how to stand against the attacks of our enemy, Satan. He is telling us how to put on spiritual armour to fight a spiritual battle. He likens that armour to the armour of a Roman soldier of his time. The belt the soldiers wore was one that held other parts of the armour together and perhaps some of his weaponry, certainly his sword. This belt needed to be tight in order to keep other pieces in place.

For us to keep our lives on track and in order, we have to ‘tighten’ our belt of truth which is our understanding and knowledge of God’s word which is truth. How do we do this? We make time each day to read God’s word to gain understanding of his ways and his will. It should become the foundation for how we live our lives once we become believers. It becomes our map for life.

Why is God’s word so important? It is important because it contains the wisdom of God for us, his creation. I call it the ‘Manufacturer’s Handbook’. God made us and he knows how life will work best for us. He’s given us directions to follow that will keep us safe, happy and fulfilled if we will but follow them.

His word becomes a rock-like foundation upon which we can build the structure of our life and we can be sure that it will then help us to stand strong. It doesn’t mean that life will be without challenge and difficulties, but God’s truth will bring encouragement and guidance to us during the tough times, and bring us safely through. God’s word is our encouragement when we are discouraged, our comfort when we are sad, our strength when we are weak, our wisdom when we are floundering, and our direction when we are undecided. We cannot live well without it. It is to become our strong foundation.

Has your belt of truth stretched or slipped lately? Are you reading the word regularly and putting it into action in your life? If not then today is a good time to get back on the job and tighten your belt.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your word which is my guide through life. Help me to hide it in my heart daily and walk in its truth. Amen