Water Damage...

One week ago today it was raining. It was raining really hard from the perspective of someone who lived the first 21 years and 9 months of her life in a desert.
So, it was raining, but we needed to go out. We had important things to do and important people to see. We also didn't have our car. So we bundled up and walked out into the downpour.

When deciding how to bundle up effectively we decided that our backpacks and their entire contents would get soaked if we took them with us. So we put the things that we needed in our pockets, and put our copies of The Book of Mormon in plastic zip-top bags.

Needless to say, we got soaked. Even my planner, which I thought would be safe in my coat pocket- got wet. The only thing that didn't get wet was my copy of the Book of Mormon sealed safely in the plastic bag.

So, as I stared at my planner today, lamenting it's pathetic state, I thought about why I didn't do more to protect it from the rain. I wondered why I thought that putting it in my coat pocket that was only closed by a simple (not watertight) zipper would have kept it safe and dry.

Pondering this experience reminded me of the scripture in Ephesians which talks about putting on the whole armour of God.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Ephesians 6:11-17

Just like walking out in the rain improperly bundled, if we live in this world without having the whole armour of God on, our spirit's will be injured by the fiery darts of the wicked and we will have more than water damage to be sad about.

But if we do put on the armour of God at all times, we will be like my book, safe from any water damage in a torrential downpour.