A Goalie, A Puck And A Battle Plan

I happened to come across the USA women's hockey team and watched for awhile.  I noticed the goalie is always on the defensive.  Always alert, looking for that puck to come into her path, as the opposite team attempts to score.  She is wearing lots of armor ~ protective gear, making her ready for the battle. The team is there working to stop the puck from getting into the zone, but the goalie is really fighting the battle alone as she guards the net.

I sometimes feel like that goalie......do you?  Always on alert when the enemy tries to "score" with sickness, trauma, even death.  We wear the armor of God and we have a battle plan, but sometimes we forget that we are not alone as we work hard to keep the opposite team from scoring.  Never alone.

That ol' enemy comes around like a roaring lion as we read in scripture.  James 4:7 tells us more of how to stand in the battle.  "Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you".  FIRST we submit to God.  In the Greek it is more of a coming close to God.  A good place to be, isn't it.  In the shelter of His wings.  Coming close suggests intimacy, relationship.  Having that relationship with God gives us what we need to resist the devil.  And when we resist....guess who has to flee?  He HAS to.  He cannot hang around.  What a great promise!

Aren't you glad we are not left to fight alone?  Most of us have family and a faith community to walk with us with prayer, support, and encouragement, but more importantly we have God.  The Lord fights for us.  Just rest in that.........

Wearing the armor and staying alert are important keys to walking a life of faith, but we are never to forget that God is with us.  Draw close to Him, in relationship with Him, and the results will be good.
We will dwell in the safety of His wings...........such a good place to be.  So grateful.