I haven’t written in almost two months. Some days it feels like I just don’t have enough hours in my day. Between working full-time, family, church, bible study, exercising to improve my heart health…it can become overwhelming. Not to mention laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning the house… I know you can relate. But this morning, God woke me up early, so I took advantage of the extra energy, made some coffee and got out my laptop.

Last week our pastor preached a message called, “The importance of a sojourners mentality”. We are working our way through the book of 1 Peter.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:11-12

Peter is reminding the believers who are in the midst of persecution, that they belong to God. He chose them. As sojourners, travelers, wanderers…we need to remember that this world is not our home. I’d like you to think about it as a deployment. Our home is with God, but for a short time, we have been deployed to this foreign land. Each day we battle for our homeland, fighting against the weapons of Satan. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are behind enemy lines. None of us should be using this time to relax and assimilate!

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Ephesians 2:1-3

We are at war! Each day, we need to arm ourselves with the truth of God’s word. We cannot be strong in battle if we fill ourselves from the table of this world. Take your bible and study His word. Arm yourself so that His Spirit will give you wisdom and clarity when Satan brings his attack. Do not be so naïve. We are called to be warriors. We are called to take a stand. We cannot fight under our own power, with our own weapons. We must put on God’s armor.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:10-18

In about a week we will be celebrating Veteran’s Day; honoring those who served in our country’s military. As the Army of God, we will all be veterans someday. The day our Lord returns to rule this world, our deployment will be complete. More than any of the trappings of this world, our hearts should long for those words from Christ, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” – Amen