Searching for the Armor of Light

"Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Romans 13. 11 - 14

Yesterday I confessed that my goal this Advent is to put on the Armor of Light, and I questioned what that might look like. In a beautiful sermon I heard yesterday, I was reminded of the answer. In Paul's letter to the Ephesians we get a literal description of the Armor of Light, when the writer says:

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm. Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace.  With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

This description of the Armor of Light is helpful, giving new meaning to defensive covering of the body against weapons. But the preacher yesterday, the Reverend Rick Lawler, continued by turning to the crucifix on the wall by the pulpit and saying:

"We have this crucifix here because St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians  ^'but we proclaim Christ crucified,' and you will see that the armor Jesus wears on the cross is nothing but sacrificial love."

He then went on to describe what people look like who wear the Armor of Light and sacrificial love and how they prepare for the coming of the kingdom of God referring to Matthew 25. 35-36:

for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

When we wear the Armor of Light, we are trusting, joyful, loving and generous and we are in service to God's world. We cling to Jesus, we wear Jesus and as he quoted from Mary Oliver:

To live in this world

you must be able to do three things:

to love what is mortal;

to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;

and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.

Hold Jesus against your bones knowing that your own life depends on it!!! That's how we prepare for the Kingdom of God!

Begin the day by watching the Sun rise to put on the Armor of Light and be reminded of the kingdom of God. photo credit: Will Courtney