Instead of walking with a disconsolate slump to our shoulders,
Eyes gazing at the puddles,
Miserable winter weather matched by miserable moods,
Hunched shoulders,
Hoods pulled up to keep off the driving rain,
Hurrying forwards into tomorrow,
Full of haste but lacking purpose,
Full of zeal but lacking joy…
We didn’t stop to put on the whole armour of God this morning:
Too preoccupied to pause,
Too laden down with our own burdens
To relish the thought of additional weights on us,
Failing to realise Your yoke is easy and Your burden light…
Instead of this, if we stop to shed the load of care we carry
And stretch to put on Your armour,
Our posture is changed entirely.
Shoulders back, back straight,
Neck muscles employed, head lifted.
Look up!
Your redemption draws near!
Help is on its way!
See the sunlight filtering from those grey clouds,
Live as children of the light.
Loved.
Protected.
Cared for.
You, O Lord, are a shield about us,
Our glory, the lifter of our heads.
You, O Lord, fight for us,
Our deliverer, the Captain of the Lord’s Army.
My I, a willing foot soldier,
March forth with a spring in my step,
A smile on my face,
Hope in my heart,
And a song on my lips,
For God has come to earth
And nothing will ever be the same again.
(Luke 21:28, Eph 6:10,13, Col 3:1-2, Ps 3:3)
