Repellent

Everyone is focused on “Perfect Storm,” Hurricane Sandy. I’m not sure what is perfect about a storm that wreaks havoc on one-third of our nation’s population, but I'm praying for those left in its wake. Even here in West Michigan, it’s been a Mary Poppins kind of day with whipping winds and spitting rain. Driving home today, I had my windshield wipers on delay mode. Watching the rain dance off my windshield reminded me of an action I took last time I hand washed my car.

I’m a person that loves to wash my car in the driveway. I get huge satisfaction squirting, soaping, scrubbing and buffing. There’s nothing like seeing a car go from dusty dirty to gleaming shiny. Occasionally, part of my routine includes the additional task of treating my windshield with rain repellent. If you have never done this, or had it done at your local car wash, you really need to try it. It’s amazing! One application of rain repellent lasts for weeks. Instead of rain splashing and smearing on your windshield, rain drops dance and race off your windshield like track stars!

Repellents keep rain off our windshields, mosquitoes off our bodies and bugs out of our homes. If we are wise, we use repellent for our safety, for our health and for our sanity. Paul writes about the ultimate repellent for a believer in his letter to the Ephesians. I’m sure you have heard about this repellent. It’s better known as The Armor of God. Read it here, from the NIV, in Ephesians 6:

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For 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. 13 Therefore 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

To repel rain, use a glass treatment. For mosquitoes, use bug spray. For spiritual protection, don the armor of God. Be wise. Wear it every day.