Bible Readings:
Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
Take the helmet of salvation. (Ephesians 6:11,17)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:27-29)
A Thought
Helmets are becoming far more common. It is not just soldiers that wear them, they are worn in a variety of forms by police officers, security guards, critical care workers in Covid-related situations and by racing drivers. They are worn on construction sites, motor bikes and bicycles, as well as by my two-year-old grandson on his scooter!
In many situations, protecting the head is critical for protecting an individual’s life but, by linking the wearing of a helmet to our salvation, St Paul sees it as protecting an individual’s eternal life. ‘Take the helmet of salvation’, he says.
A helmet will protect your head, providing you do two things. The first is that you have to purchase one, or be given one, and secondly you have to wear it. It’s not a lot of value on the hat stand!
The helmet of salvation is both purchased and a free gift. It is purchased for us by Jesus; he paid for it with his blood, and it is given to us as a free gift when we put our faith in him. Once we have received the helmet of salvation, it cannot be taken away from us. Jesus is clear in his analogy of the sheep and the shepherd, that once we belong to his flock, he gives us eternal life, and no one can snatch us out of his hand, or out of his father’s hand.
The helmet of salvation is a gift to receive, but it is also a gift to wear. There are times in all of our lives when we struggle, and we need to remind ourselves that we are ‘saved’ and that we have eternal life. There are times when we are tempted to say or do things we shouldn’t, and we need to remind ourselves of the salvation that Jesus won for us, and live a life that honours his sacrifice. There are also times when our minds are bombarded with doubt, anxiety, guilt, rejection and condemnation, and we need to remind ourselves of our salvation; that we are loved, forgiven, accepted, valued and trusted by God.
Do you know that you have received the free gift of salvation? If not, you can do so, simply by putting your faith in Jesus and receiving it from God today.
And, if you have received the free gift of salvation, don’t forget to put it on as a helmet, as you go about your daily life.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that you gave your life for me, so that I can know salvation and have eternal life. I put on my helmet of salvation today, that you might protect my mind and guide my thoughts and my actions, to your honour and glory.
Amen.