Alert and Ready

Ephesians 6: 17- 18 “Take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”  

Growing up as a child, I enjoyed sports. Whether it was baseball, floor hockey, or even basketball, I loved it because for some reason it gave me a sense of purpose.  I grew up in a broken home and struggled with low self-esteem. I was called many names by my family and dealt with fighting and arguments every day. Most of the times I would cry myself to sleep because of all the negativity that I was surrounded with. So, when I was introduced to football in the 5th grade, it changed me.  For the first time I was hearing words of affirmation. My coach would say “good hit Perez!”, or he would say “keep it up kid, I see something special in you!” The words of affirmation shaped my confidence, and it inspired me to pursuit the sport even more. I remember when I received my equipment for the first time and the coach gave me my helmet. It meant so much to me because I was part of something, and family called a team. I learned that the helmet was vital in playing because it protected me from getting hurt, and the equipment also helped me in my confidence to continue to play. The hard workouts and practices also taught me  about being ready when my name was called upon so that I can then put into action what I had learned.  

In my faith journey I have seen how God was using sports to shape me for life. We too must wear our spiritual gear (Armor of God)  daily as we enter not a playground but a battleground. Prayer and consistent bible reading are vital, as we prepare for each and every day. But the key thing about this is for us to be ALERT and READY! In sports, the player always needs to be suited up and ready to go because your name can be called in any minute. This is exactly what Paul is trying to tell us. Suit up and be ready because you never know when your name will be called upon! That is why praying in the Spirit is vital. For the Spirit of God intercedes for us and he knows our needs (Romans 8:26-27).  

I have learned the importance of praying in the spirit, and in case you haven’t understood what this means, I’m talking about praying in tongues. Open your mouth and allow God to give you those words that come from the depth or your core. The groan is not meant for us to understand but the groan is our spirit crying out to God and preparing us for the battle ahead. So, strap it up, and be Alert and Ready to Go!   

Prayer: God! We cry out to you this day and ask you to take full control of our lives. As we put on every part of the Armor, help us to be alert, and ready to go! May your word be a constant reminder to us of your grace and your will for our lives and may we remain in tune with your spirit as we face every occasion in our lives. Amen!