Oh, what fitting sentiment and utterance: ‘God, I know You are God and I am NOT’… ‘God, I know You are amazing, how can I even grasp it?’… These are sentiments of Agur son of Jakeh—in an inspired utterance included as Proverbs 30. He barely feels like a man let alone able to grasp life with understanding of God… and yet he knows and mentions what he needs and wants from God – he wants just enough: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Give me just enough. Yes, we can appreciate that, not too much but not too little. Really, our daily bread, which is Jesus, the Word of God. Jesus in life, one day at a time, is all we need and all we can handle too. We need Jesus to handle it all, even and especially our brushes with evil, self-doubt, challenges, frustration, life. 

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” This sentiment is how we are to begin each day, shielded in God, how else will we survive? The next part of Proverbs 30 details pitfalls, but first think of God, how else will we prevail? Let us look to the Lord for protection first, put on the Armor of God and keep moving. God leads, we can follow Him.

The Armor of God represents both protection and one aspect of a weapon, that weapon is the Truth, Sword of Truth, which is the Word, which is Jesus. The Word breaks barriers and kills evil, can pierce through fronts of seeming armor but not of God, falseness fronts, those false flashy idols and ideals are no match to God. Darkness has not overcome the Light.

Imagine the armor forged by man: chain mail armor, forged by hand, every link building coverage with the next link. This personal coverage like feathers on a bird protects, is flexible, moves. Imagine then how good God’s armor is. God needs us to move. God’s Armor on us allows us freedom in Him and separation from the world, yet to stay in the world. God needs us in this world to do His Will. We were born for a time like this.

Armor also needs soft underlying material to be gentle on your skin. Our skin itself is great armor too. Protection and movable. Protection from internal damage and an ability to be thick, sometimes calloused, but intact. No chains of the enemy (chains of sin and death) will gain authority over the Armor of God for your life even if it cuts through the flesh. God already won the war, let Him lead the battle.

Keep moving my friends. One day at a time. Keep holding on to and within the power of God to keep Life. He has put eternity into your heart. Worship God.

Amen

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Proverbs 30:1-9 NIV

This man’s utterance to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

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Matthew 4:1-11 NIV – Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

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Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your FEET fitted with the READINESS that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD of FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the HELMET of SALVATION and the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD. And PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. 

With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people…