How any times have children been shattered by the words of angry parents and friends? How many times have we seen marriages wrecked by anger diatribes and accusations? How many times have leaders been attacked by unreasonable words of disgust and mockery? How many parents have been crushed by careless words of thoughtless children? How many reputations have been marred by whispered lies and gossiping gangs?

creator King of every king

and yet this was Mary’s boy.

blood spilled grace on me

and still Mary’s boy piercing your heart, Mary

to save me forsaking you
and his kingdom

for me.

What a terrible loss 
you suffered

to watch this one you fed, changed, embraced,
 carried, protected, and nourished

now condemned to bear nails and thones whips and shame

so that we could all come to the table.

and face the gethsemane of every broken generation

he cried for his Daddy as the sunset brought shadows 
on the edge of town.

You had others but that night He was your only Boy.

Therefore put on the full . . .

not half . . .

the full . . .

not as much as you feel comfortable wearing . . .

not as much as is politically correct . . .

not as much as is evangelically chic . . .

not only enough to cover your back side . . .

the whole . . .

Even 90% is inadequate.

. . . the whole armor of God.

So that when the day of evil comes—

(And know this, it will come.) when the forces surround you and there seems to be nowhere to go but down, when you have been challenged, attacked, battered, and thrashed, when you have been ridiculed and mocked, accused, subjugated, and hammered, you’ll be like the house that Jesus built. The winds will come and the waves will crash down upon you like the raging rapids of hell, but you’ll stand. You will stand. You will stand. Stand your ground. Stand at attention. Like the three Hebrew children before Nebuchadnezzar, like Moses before Pharaoh, like David before an ugly sneering giant, you’ll stand. Like Jesus at the flaming portals of Hades demanding the keys of destruction, you’ll stand. Undistracted. Totally determined. No demon can touch you if you stand clothed with the shining armor of God. You’ll stand, and no weapon shall prosper. No arrow can touch you. You’ve been called into the service of a God who is all powerful, all loving, all knowing, all right and all ready! Are you ready?