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Scripture for the day: Ephesians 6:10-11; 2 Peter 1:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil …. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.
Thought for the day: Somewhere in my collection, I have a hat I bought over 30 years ago and sometimes wear even to this day. It’s a simple ball cap that bears the inscription: USS IOWA, BB-61. The Iowa was one of the most massive and powerful battleships that ever put to sea. She boasted three triple turrets of sixteen-inch guns. The projectiles themselves weighed 2,700 pounds and could be hurled some 25 miles. To put the power of these guns into perspective, the New Jersey, used during the Viet Nam conflict, would occasionally fire a single HC (high explosive) shell into the jungle. The impact would instantly create a helicopter landing zone 200 yards in diameter and defoliate the surrounding forest for another 300 yards.
The Iowa was reinforced with 18” of solid steel from the waterline down to protect against torpedoes. The bridge area was likewise protected with the same heavy armor. One of the forward gun turrets carries a dent made by the impact of a 5 inch, 54 caliber high explosive shell that exploded on impact. That shell would have done serious damage, perhaps even sinking, a lesser vessel. The main decks on the Iowa were made of solid oak. When I asked a crewman the reason for this, he said, “The theory was that ordinary projectiles were found to bounce off the deck rather than penetrate or explode on impact.”
If one had to go to war, the Iowa, and her sister ships, may have been the safest place to be. During her involvement in the Second World War and Korea, the greatest damage she experienced was a bent shaft, the result of being caught in a massive typhoon in the South Pacific. She surely epitomized the admonition we have in today’s scripture encouraging us to “Put on the whole armor of God.” She was adequately protected from any and all external threats.
In 1989, while on a routine training exercise, there was a terrible explosion in one of the forward guns. 47 crew members were killed and several others were injured, Only the quick thinking of one of the gunners’ mates prevented a catastrophic ending to the incident, as he flooded the power magazine.
Now, all that information is pretty interesting, and certainly illustrates the need to be vigilant in protecting ourselves from the “wiles of the devil.” But, what can we take from this that will help us live a life of victory today? I think the lesson is just this: we can work diligently to prevent damage from the outside, and fail to protect ourselves from onslaughts that originate on the inside. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22). And Paul said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). And how do we do that? “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
There is great value in protecting ourselves from the “fiery darts of the wicked one,” but the best way to do that is to make sure we are guarding our hearts from the tendency we all have to stray.
Now go take on your world. - Bill