Daily Lesson for December 14, 2020

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 through 19a:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 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. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me.

In his eulogy for President Lincoln following Lincoln's assassination in April 1865, Philips Brooks called the institution of slavery a "sacrament" of evil. It was, in the sacramental mental language, "an outward and visible sign" of an inward and invisible evil. And, Brooks said, though General Lee had surrendered and the Confederacy was broken the evil manifest in slavery was still on the loose -- in both the South and also the North.

What St. Paul calls "the spiritual forces of evil" are still on the loose. They are still in rebellion. In the North and the South they are still working to undermine and destroy our Union and the promise of its "government of the people, and by the people, and for the people."

Beware, friends. Stay alert. Be brave. Be strong. Pray. Pray really hard.

As Paul said, we've got to "put on the whole armor of God."

And as we would say in a West Texas locker room, "It's time to strap 'em on."

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through in 2020. What a year to do so. Tomorrow we will read 1 Timothy.

Ryon Price is the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.