Ready Brakes

Ready Brakes

Ephesians 6:10-18

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Uncle Jake asked again. The car’s brakes had failed when they came to a stop sign, and the car had kept going slowly across the road and into a pole.

“We’re fine,” Brian and Chris assured him. They were more interested in watching the truck tow their car away than in answering their uncle.

Later that afternoon, the boys went over to play at a neighbor’s home. When Andres, the neighbor boy, suggested they watch a video, Brian looked at the title. Everyone’s been talking about this movie, he thought. But we probably shouldn’t watch it.

He glanced at Chris, who seemed uneasy about the video too. There’s going to be language and stuff in this that Christians shouldn’t watch, Brian told himself. But when Andres slipped the tape into the VCR, neither of the boys said anything. Although they winced now and then at the language they heard, they were soon caught up in the story.

At the supper table, their accident was the main topic of conversation. “I meant to have those brakes checked,” said Uncle Jake regretfully, “but I put it off. That was a mistake. Car maintenance is very important.” Then, just as Brian and Chris started to leave the table, Uncle Jake reached for the family Bible. “Just a minute,” he said. “This accident reminds me that maintenance of our spiritual life is even more important—so starting today, we’re going to take time for family devotions right after dinner. When we don’t spend time in the Word, we don’t maintain a close walk with the Lord, and our own ‘brakes’ might fail when we need to apply them.”

“Our own brakes?” Chris asked, puzzled.

Uncle Jake nodded. “When our spiritual life is maintained through time spent with the Lord, we’re more prepared to apply our ‘spiritual brakes’—we’re more likely to call on the Lord for help, or to recite a Bible verse that stops us from giving in to temptation,” he explained.

“I think we understand what you mean,” Brian said, nudging Chris under the table. He knew their “spiritual brakes” had failed just that afternoon. NEK

How about You?

Do you find it hard to resist temptation? We need to pay close attention to God’s Word during devotional times. It will help us be stronger and better able to say no when we’re tempted.

Memorize:

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.” Ephesians 6:11

Maintain Your Spiritual Life