It was barely six o’clock in the morning, but the sun was so high—and the humidity with it—sunglasses seemed to beg for their own wiper blades.

Humid or not, Jack launched into his Scripture memory work. In his hand, he held a laminated card featuring the text of Psalm 27. He was working on verse eight:

When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "I shall seek your face, Lord.

Again and again, Jack worked that phrase over as he hoofed his way toward the office: “I shall seek your face, Lord. I shall seek your face, Lord.” And then a distraction seized his view—a very young, very trim jogger lady whose too-few clothes were too tight.

Jack said, “Immediately, this verse seemed to shout at me: “When you said ‘Seek my face,’ my heart said to you, ‘I shall seek your face, Lord.’”

Rather than linger or leer, Jack turned away and quoted the verse—out loud. And he did so again and again until the jogger had passed. Looking back on that moment, he quipped, "Ya know, it’s hard to quote Scripture and gawk at a jogger.” 

He's got a point! But not just ANY point. Jack was using the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God! It's for moments exactly like this that God has given us the Scriptures.

Ephesians 6:17 urges, "And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." We would not need a helmet or a sword if there were no battle. But fight we must because the war is on.

While it’s nice to celebrate Jack’s win, one victory is hardly the end of the conflict. Jack will surely need to reach for his Sword again. And so will you and I.

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11

Photo by Ricardo Cruz on Unsplash