This week we’re using a variety of songs as aids to our prayers. Singing and praying often go hand in hand. These songs are peace themed, meant to help us pray for the peace of Jesus in our lives and in our world.
Today’s Bible reading and an excerpt
Read Ephesians 6:10-24
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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Today’s Song and an excerpt
Soldiers Under Command by Stryper : Lyrics
“We are the soldiers under God’s command
We hold His two-edged sword within our hands
We’re not ashamed to stand up for what’s right
We win without sin, it’s not by our might
And we’re fighting all the sin
And the good book, it says we’ll win
Soldiers, Soldiers, under command
Soldiers, Soldiers, fighting the Lords battle plan”
More thoughts for meditation
Maybe it seems a little backward to use songs about being a soldier as a peace prayer. Paul and Stryper wrote these words/lyrics not to encourage militancy, but to subvert it. You’d only have to take one look at Stryper, and most definitely at Paul, too, to realize that they weren’t outfitted to be soldiers AT ALL. Their sword isn’t a sword made of metal (heavy metal? ☺ ), it’s the word of God, wielded by the strongest muscle: the tongue. Stryper was holding microphones in their hands for their soldiering.
Pray
Be like Paul and Styper. Be subversive! Do some air guitar and air sword-play as you recite Paul’s poem or sing along with Stryper’s lyrics. Buckle on an air buckle, Put on an air breastplate, Tie on some air boots, and hold up an air shield. Lastly, set your air helmet on your head. What you are dressing yourself with prayerfully is the Spirit of God and his gifts to you, in place of military gear and much more effective.
Wanna keep going with this? Try Saint Patrick’s Lorica (Breastplate) prayer, which is in the same vein as Paul and Stryper.
P.S., if you are bothered by militant analogies or if you just can’t sit through 80’s hair band rock, it’s ok to skip it. No big deal.