Driving the Small Mountainous Road of Italy: Victory Series, Part 20 (Our Armour)
We had just left Switzerland and were driving towards S. Maria Maggiore in
Italy. Strangely enough, the roads seemed to become narrower by the kilometer.
In addition they became tortuous, snaking through the mountains, increasing our
nausea.
It wasn't long before the road was no wider than one lane by North American
standards. Only one important difference: It was a two-lane road, used not only
by cars like ours, but busses and semi trucks as well! And they didn't exactly
drive slowly!
Our eyes were popping out of our heads as we wondered aloud if it was even
possible to continue on this road. But making a u-turn seemed even more
dangerous than going on, so we did what anyone would do when facing such
impossible odds: We prayed! And we prayed some more as we slowed to a snail's
pace. The cars behind us weren't very happy, but at least we felt safer!
Does prayer work? It sure did. We eventually crossed the border into
Switzerland, back to civilization and wider roads, and when we did, we jumped
out of the car and kissed the ground.
Well, not really, but we were rejoicing and thanking God for His protection.
No wonder the apostle Paul added prayer as one of the important parts of our
spiritual armory: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for
all the saints." (Eph 6:18 NIV)
Do you think, perhaps, he tried to drive the roads of Italy???
Jesus also encourages us to pray, especially when temptation rears its ugly head
and becomes more tortuous than the mountain roads in Northern Italy!
"Pray that you will not fall into temptation." (Luke 22:40-41 NIV)
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matt 6:13
NIV)
To Jesus, praying was as automatic as breathing. It was His only way of
communication with His Heavenly Father, and boy what a difference He made on our
planet!
"After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray."
(Matt 14:23 NIV)
What should we do if we don't know how to pray?
We ask God's Spirit for His help! "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our
hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the
saints in accordance with God's will." (Rom 8:26-27 NIV)
If we survived those one lane-width, two-way Italian mountain roads through
prayer, we can be assured that we will victoriously overcome these vicious
attempts to corruption through prayer as well.
So what are we waiting for? "We don't have a priest (Jesus) who is out of touch
with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all -
all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to
give. Take the mercy, accept the help." (Heb 4:15-16 The Message)
"Do we really have to go back through Italy?"
Rob Chaffart
