A Turtle Decision

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place” Ephesians 6:14

After I did a Google search this morning for an image for Ephesians 6:14, I got an astonishing result. It was a photo of turtles on a log! When that photo came up, I said, “Huh?”. Then I meditated on what the scripture said about standing firm and I thought, "yes, the turtles are standing firm on the log”....then I realized that the “breastplate of righteousness” was the turtle shell! "Oh, I get it now!" As the light dawned in my brain, I realized that the breastplate of righteousness that we wear is like a turtle shell and it is in the spot where we need it most. It covers all our critical and necessary internal organs of survival, like the heart, kidneys, spleen, lungs and liver. The "righteousness" that we wear is the ethical conduct in which we live out our lives. It is when we are faced with a moral decision and we know God’s Word (truth) and we use that to base our decisions. " What is the right thing to do?", verses "What do I think I want to do?". Sometimes those are tough decisions. Knowing God’s truth helps us to “stand firm” and to do the right thing in difficult circumstances.

Think about this ethical example.. a politician that has an expense account for his business meals that the funds come from the Democratic party. He chooses to take his wife out to dinner, his parents out to dinner and thinking it is okay since the funds were set aside for "meals". This money was set aside for business meals and he uses it for his personal use. He compromised his integrity and it was not right. Bottom line here is that, we will all be faced with decisions in life and it is up to us to stand firm and to know God’s truth to be able to make those decisions wisely as God would want us to do. After today, I will remember the turtle picture – standing firm with the breastplate of righteousness...to do the right thing when facing difficult decisions. I want to always make “turtle decisions” in life.

Question: Are you faced with an ethical decision today? Would you like to make a turtle decision based on God's truth?

Weather the Storm with God

" And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” (Numbers 14:8-9)

In scripture, the Israelites fled from Egypt to the desert with the promise of a better life. They left the bondage of the Egyptians to the freedom that God was giving them. They began their journey in hope and faith that God was bringing them into a better life. Then as soon as they started facing hardships, their faith began to fade. They started to entertain thoughts of going back to Egypt where life was easier – and their hearts were hardened and they became rebellious. When things began to get rough they didn’t stand on God’s promises and hold onto the faith that the Lord was in control. They let the giants in the land fill their hearts with fear and that created rebellion against God. The Lord promises us that when we are obedient to Him, He will take care of us, He will protect us, He will take us to a place of milk and honey. Does it mean that we will no longer have any challenges in our lives? No, but it means that when those tough times do come, we are to stand in faith on the promises He gives us in His Word and know that God is with us and that he will never leave nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:8) Today, as I face challenges that I cannot control, I surrender it all to God, and know that He will sustain me and cover me with His blessings – for there is always an end to the rough times and I am just to weather the storm with God.

Question: Are you in the midst of a storm in your life? Are you willing to stand on God's promises for a good future by holding onto your faith?