“Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.” (Ephesians 6:10-13 The Living Bible)
Being toward the bottom in terms of seniority as a high school teacher back in the 1970’s, that position triggered a lot of anxiety during the month of May. That was the month that cutbacks in the number of faculty at schools was formally announced, and affected teachers received an official, advance notice informing them that they would not be returning the next academic year. After completing my first year of teaching, and as a matter of fact, following that last semester where I had been voted by the student body as “King of the Teachers,” I received my advance notice. I don’t really remember what the notification looked like; don’t remember the color of paper it was printed on, but I’ll it say, for all practical purposes, it was a pink slip. The aforementioned anxiety took residence within me. Sure, I had been taught that the Lord would provide, and I had been reminded that He will open doors that you cannot see, but I still had concerns about what was next from a career perspective. Come on now! You’ve been there!
But my worry and anxiety withered away when I found out that all that I was taught was indeed true. Maybe we all can learn from those words, “No need to worry! No need to fret! The Lord has not failed me yet.” (I heard you say, “Amen!”) This is what happened. The principal at another high school called me in for an interview. The Lord’s making a way. Before becoming a principal, he was my Dean of Boys when I was a high school student. He offered me a job teaching Psychology. The Lord was opening doors I could not see. There was a catch to the offer. I had to agree to be the Trainer and Equipment Manager for all the sports teams. This means that I would have to go to all the sporting events, make sure uniforms got to the cleaners and back by game time, treat injuries with the knowledge gained from reading my mother’s 1950 first aid book, and attend every game. Another teaching came to mind: “The way may not be easy.” The extra tasks paid a bonus, but as heaven is my witness, this extra assignment paid only a small stipend. Nevertheless, I was grateful. One more lesson: “Thank the Lord for all His blessings!”
Since it is football season, let me tell you about one of my most important jobs as the Equipment Manager. I had to make sure that all the gridiron players had the right size cleats. And the pair that they wore, they had to have the preferred type of cleat studs to ensure the players performed at their top efficiency against their opponents. It seemed like some of the players needed new cleat studs every week! Well, it was my job as the equipment manager to give them just what they needed to be successful on the field every week.
Why am I sharing all this history with you? Don’t worry! Behind every story in these meditations there is a purpose. You see, as believers, we need to be properly equipped for performing our best as disciples for Christ on the field of life. We need to have on the best equipment to make sure that we can have success against out top three opponents, Satan, self, and the secular world. So, by necessity, we should be getting equipped, at a minimum, weekly by our equipment manager. Who is our equipment manager? The equipment manager is a person who has been called to equip the saints; individuals assuredly called, anointed and appointed, preachers who are ready stand and speak a specific message to help you each week. Here is my view: Not some of us, but all of us need some new pieces of equipment every week, just like the high school football players needed new cleat studs regularly. They needed a good foundation and, guess what? So do we!
Therefore, make sure you go to the equipment room, the place called “the church.” Go and be equipped for the work of ministry; the work of serving others and winning souls for the Lord. I know Sunday is a few days away, but it’s never too early to plan to make a trip to see the equipment manager. Don’t pray on this! No! Just do it and get to church Sunday! Take someone with you who needs some adjustments made to their equipment or who need to get their first issue of equipment needed to get to the goal line; the same goal line that the Apostle Paul was referring to when he wrote in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Have a great day, my friend! Be blessed!
“And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the [b]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12 New King James Version)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King
Amen, Thank you for the encourgement, I am going to meditate on this “No need to worry! No need to fret! The Lord has not failed me yet.”
Yes! Be encouraged! The Lord is with you! He will equip you too! Be blessed!