I was driving to work the other day and the radio DJ was talking about summer. He said now that summer was approaching, we needed to remember to put on our sunscreen if we were going to be out in the sun.
And just like that...it came to me...SONscreen. We need spiritual Sonscreen coverage everyday, and not just in the summer.
Growing up in South Florida, I know all about sunscreen and sunburns. When the sun is hot and high, you'd better be slathered up with the sunscreen or you'll be sorry later. What a lot of people don't realize though, is that you need to wear the sunscreen even if the sun isn't "hot and high." If the sky is overcast and you are going to be outside during the day, you still need the sunscreen. The UV rays are there, whether it's sunny or cloudy.
It's the same way with Sonscreen. We need His "coverage" everyday, regardless of the "weather." There's good and there's evil in this world and I'm sure you've seen both. It's easier to protect yourself against things you can see, but it's not so easy to protect yourself against things you can't see. There's a lot that goes on in the spiritual realm "behind the scenes" that we can't see. It's a battle between good and evil. In 1 Peter: 5-8, it says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour." The devil (and his representatives) are looking for ways to trip you up, to lead you down wrong pathways, and to try to ruin you.
Have you ever said or done something you wish you hadn't and then had it repeating in your mind over and over? Even after you tried to make amends with the person or seek forgiveness? You feel badly or guilty every time the thought comes back. That's not God reminding you. In God there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). The devil would like nothing better than for you to feel guilty and will remind us of our failures to get us to focus on that instead of the goodness of God and His forgiveness.
What we really need to do is to put on the Sonscreen with the highest SPF (Spiritual Protection Factor). In Ephesians 6:10-17, it talks about putting on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the plans of the devil. In verse 16, it talks about taking up the "shield of faith" so that you can "quench the fiery darts of the wicked one." Now that's some serious SPF!
I don't know about you, but I'm going to try to remember to slather my Sonscreen daily. I want to be protected.
How about you? Are you covered? What's your SPF?
