Praying to the Porcelain God

Praying to the Porcelain God

It wasn't too far into my first college semester that I learned EXACTLY what that expression meant. I can still remember my face plastered to the tile floor and the cool relief the floor brought to my ailing body. I promised myself if I lived through that night I would never put myself in to that position again. I rarely have had my face on a bathroom floor praying to the porcelain God since but I confess I have recently had my knees bent before a toilet stool crying out to God.

I've just completed one of the most successful shooting seasons I have had since beginning to shoot pistols in 2003. My shooting journey has been an incredible chapter in my life in which God has revealed who He is to me and who I am in him. One of the things I incorporated into the 2008 season was to pray before shooting. Before my dry fire sessions my knees would bend before the box freezer in the basement. When I was on the road, my knees would bend before the toilet stool in the hotel I was staying at. What was I crying out?

I prayed this:

Ephesians 6:10-20 (New International Version

The Armor of God

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

I prayed God's armor on me because I was going to a battle with a gun in my hand and I wanted to be able to stand my ground. I realized that it wasn't the men on the playing field that I was competing with. I was fighting against evil forces that wanted to steal who I was in Christ. Who am I in Christ? Free. I was battling for my freedom in Christ and that is always worth fighting for.

Tonight it occurred to me how foolish I've been recently. I was most willing to get on my knees and pray on the armor of God when I was about to do battle with a gun. However, I've been lazy praying God's armor on daily even though each morning when I go out the door I am going to a much bigger battle ground than a shooting competition. This battle ground has eternal consequences.

God forgive me for my foolishness. May I get on my knees daily and prepare for the battle to be fought that day. May I not leave this house without seeking You.

In Jesus Name,
Jane