“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today or our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of Hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below–indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
–Romans 12-38:39 (NLT)

About a week ago, I went on a trip with family to celebrate my wife’s grandfather’s 90th birthday. While we were all excited about the trip, no one was looking forward to going through airport security. I groaned when I came to the counter. I had to take off my boots, pull everything out of my pockets, and put everything on the conveyor belt to be scanned. If you have traveled at all in the last few years, you know exactly what I went through, and how long the whole ritual seems to take.

As much as I hated this process, I still remember the events of 9-11, so I decided to try and look on the bright side. I told myself that this search was better than the alternative, and that the war on terrorism was for my protection.

As we got on the plane, my thoughts turned from airport security to our own security in Christ. Much like the physical perils we face, believers are at war against a very real spiritual enemy, and we must be on guard all the time. This doesn’t mean living in constant fear. On the contrary, God wants to bless us with His peace and protection, no matter what we are going through.

The Bible tells us that in order to experience this peace and security which can be ours, we must walk close to Christ. Let’s briefly look at three pictures that tell us how to achieve this. They are putting on the armor of God, abiding in Christ, and walking in the Spirit. These three pictures simply speak to believers about taking deliberate action to clothe themselves in the Word, prayer and fellowship.

Just as you get dressed each morning, the armor of God is something that should be worn daily. However, this armor is a mindset, not physical battle gear. The most important feature of God’s armor is a dependence upon Christ, instead of worldly possessions, thoughts or feelings.

Abiding in Christ simply means dwelling or making your home in him. A fruitful Christian realizes that everything he or she has is wrapped up in Christ. Jesus spoke about how the branch is dead without the vine. According to this symbolism, we have no life apart from Christ. If we try to dwell in Christ, we will experience his security.

Lastly, walking in the Spirit means all of the above, but it emphasizes living in such a way that people can see Christ’s love and peace in you, and sense this love shining out in everything you do. No matter what storms you may be going through, take action and seek the shelter that comes from Christ, for he only wants to bless you with his peace.

If you want to increase your security with Christ, consider saying this prayer:
“Dear God, help me to take active steps to follow you more closely. Forgive me for all of my sins, and help me to put away anything that would hinder my walk with You. Thank you for your peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please send it to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870.
To find out more about HCMA, visit them at www.hcmachaplains.org.

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 641-715-3900, ext. 874157.