Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm
then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist and with the breastplate
of righteousness; (NIV)
A drought came to the land of Judah
where Naomi and her family lived. In order to have a better life Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, decided to take
his wife and their two sons to live in the country of Moab. While there, the
sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Unfortunately, the father and
then the two sons eventually died. This left Naomi with no other family but her
two daughters-in-law.
After hearing that God had blessed
Judah to be able to once again have food, she decided to move back to her home.
Her daughters-in-law where going to accompany her on the journey back to her
homeland. However, Naomi had a change of mind, while they were in route, and
told them to return to their homes where they could marry once more.Orpah kissed
her mother-in-law goodbye and returned to her native land. Ruth, however, did
not return, but was persistent in letting her mother-in-law know that wherever
she went, she was going to follow. Naomi’s people would be her people. Naomi’s
God would be her God and wherever Naomi would be buried, so would she.
Ruth
could have gone back to her native land just as her sister-in-law had done.
After all, she was no longer bound to accompany Naomi since her husband, Naomi’s
son, was dead. Ruth could have stayed in the land that was most familiar to her
with people she knew, friends she had, and could have possibly built a life
with another husband. However, Ruth did not take the easier road. She decided
to take the road less travelled. She stood firm in her decision to follow her
mother-in-law wherever she would go and kept her word in doing so. As a result,
she was tremendously blessed by marrying Boaz, and became the great-grandmother
of King David, through whose bloodline the Son of God would come to save His people
from their sins.
The Apostle Paul lets us know that
we are to stand firm with the belt of truth around our waist and the
breastplate of righteousness. During Roman times, the soldiers wore a belt (cingulum)
around their waist in order to hold their sword. It is important for us to
ensure that we are surrounded by the truth of God, so that we will not be deceived
by the enemy. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV) That
truth is secured through the Word of God, which is our active sword. Hebrews
4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV) There are many
deceiving demons in the world who are going about deceiving the masses. This
great deception will lead many into the lake of fire. Right is being called
wrong and wrong is being called right in total defiance against the Word of
God, which represents total truth for God cannot lie. Numbers 23:19 God is not
human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (NIV)
We are also to wear the breastplate of
righteousness. During the Roman era, the soldiers wore breastplates to ward off
attacks made to their vital organs, which would have been sure to deliver a verdict
of death if pierced. Wearing the breastplate of righteousness for Christians mean
that we are walking in alignment with the will of God in an uncompromised state,
so that when the devil’s darts are thrown our way, they will not destroy us spiritually,
but bounce off without penetration.Isaiah
54:17 “No weapon that
is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that
rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (ESV)
As
women warriors for Christ, the devil is constantly at war with us for we are the
seed carriers. Rather that be in the natural or physical, it is important that we
protect ourselves spiritually by wearing our proper gear to keep the enemy from
destroying the seed that God has placed on the inside of us. God has given us the
tools we need to be able to defeat that devil at a 360 degree angle. Remember to
stand firm just as Ruth did despite the grass looking greener on the other side.
What God has in store for those who are faithful will far outweigh the seasons of
change.
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