A Sure and Steady Hope
When I was 7 years old my family moved to a remote island called Yap in the South Pacific. Within 18 months of moving there, my family was introduced to something the locals had been experiencing for decades – a tropical storm called a typhoon. Much like a hurricane, a typhoon can inflict much damage with high winds and tons of rain. I remember being in awe of the frenzied activity it took to get ready. Windows got boarded up to guard against flying coconuts and other debris, supplies were purchased, and water and candles were collected because we were guaranteed to lose water and power. It was scary and exciting all at once. We were ready when the storm hit, and I remember being so scared as we huddled by candlelight as the winds and rain whipped around outside our small house. We were safe inside but outside it was utter chaos and lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and the wind shook the walls.
Suddenly, I realized I left something out on our porch and wanted to go out and get it. (Side note: I asked my mom about this and she thinks I had convinced myself that one of our cats was outside… I was a cat lady even at that young age!) Figuring it would be very quick, my parents agreed, and I opened the door and stepped out our large covered porch. Instantly, I was IN the storm and the power of it took my breath away. The atmospheric pressure also sucked the door closed, cutting me on the heel and leaving me feeling completely vulnerable. At that very moment, a flash of lightning tore out of the sky and landed so close it looked like it was just steps in front of me. I was TERRIFIED and it felt like I was out there for an hour. In reality, it was only moments before my dad got the door open again and pulled me back inside to safety. I vividly remember the relief I felt once I was back inside my safe place!
2020 so far has felt a lot like that storm I experienced when I was 7. There has been egregious injustice in communities of color, civil unrest, a highly contagious and rapidly spreading virus, politics, job loss, economic difficulty, and the list goes on. I think there were also murder hornets somewhere in that mix. This is the craziest year many of us have ever seen. There have been many moments where I have looked squarely at everything going on and I have been so fearful. Fearful that we’ll never have civil public discourse ever again, and that ideological social media arguments are just how we communicate now. Fearful that the “new normal” is going to be a constant moving target. Fearful at how effective the enemy is in blinding eyes, deafening ears and hardening hearts to hurt, injustice and racism. Y’all, it’s a lot. I’m sure many of you are feeling this too in some form or another.
But there’s a key mistake that I’m certainly guilty of in all of that, and it’s that I’m only looking at the circumstances that are swirling around me at that moment. That is not where my focus should be at all. See, when Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:17 (NIV) to “take the helmet of salvation,” he’s telling us that we have a SURE and STEADY hope, not in this world but in the salvation of Jesus. That is a promise that will never be taken away.
Do you know what else the helmet does for us? It helps us fix our eyes on the ultimate goal by limiting our vision for distractions, etc. Dave Johnson at lifehopeandtruth.com says, “The helmet also protected the eyes of the soldier, enabling him to maintain physical vision. Spiritual vision allows the Christian to fix his or her eyes on the goal, pressing forward without distraction or detours.”
When a Roman soldier entered battle, it would have been UNTHINKABLE for him to not put on his helmet. To put on everything else but neglect the helmet would have rendered all other pieces of armor useless. Our heads are so very vulnerable, not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually. It is so easy to get distracted and start to lose hope. “Leaving off any piece of the armor would have been dangerous, but to go without the helmet would have been unthinkable. We can no more afford to be without the helmet of salvation today. The helmet of salvation protects us and keeps our focus where it needs to be: the end of the race. When we’re wearing that helmet, it doesn’t matter what Satan throws at us—we know what we’re fighting for, and we know that our salvation, our deliverance, is a gift from Someone far greater than our enemy. The helmet of salvation means we don’t have to live in fear of Satan. When he tries to disorient and destroy us, the helmet reminds us that our victory will come, not from us, but from the God who rules the universe—and that God wants to give us that victory. And with that helmet firmly seated on our heads, we can focus on living the life God called us to live—fighting the good fight on our journey to the Kingdom of God,” says Johnson.
Friends, let’s go out and fight the good fight. Let’s stand with our brothers and sisters in oppressed communities. Let’s fight for justice. Let’s be the perpetuators of grace and truth. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to open our minds, ears and hearts so that we can lead others well. This has never been more important than right now and my prayer is that we learn to imitate Jesus more and more every day!
Erin is a speaker and leadership development professional who has been in the learning and development field for over 12 years. She has a unique ability to engage with her audience and create learning experiences that inspire change and action. She is poised, articulate and delivers her message with passion.
Erin feels that God has called her to use her professional skills to further His kingdom. She is passionate about helping people develop skills and knowledge that will empower them to answer Jesus’ call in their lives and understand how they are uniquely wired to respond to His leading. See Erin's other writings at: www.erhspeaks.com