I’ve never been a drunkard. A
thing most men think odd.
But what is more exciting! The booze is not my god.
It could have been, but somehow,
I never found the time,
To visit public houses with the different friends of
mine.
When I had reached the tender age
of only twenty one;
I’d been exposed to alcohol, but found the urge was
none!
I much preferred sobriety. I tend
to laugh at drunks.
But when I think about it, few men would join the
monks.
The truth is that I met the Lord
when I was just eighteen.
I can’t explain the difference that loving Him can
mean.
I don’t recall a breastplate
composed of Jesus love.
I knew that His salvation came down from God above.
The self control He’d given me
was still some kind of myth.
But since I am His bond-slave, The One I’m always with,
Is Jesus Christ my Saviour. I begged
Him to reveal,
His nature to the friends of mine. I just could not
conceal,
The way His life had changed me.
The only thing for me,
Was seeking after holiness. That’s what I’d rather be.
And so I tried His armour. I
found it didn’t fit.
I tried to squeeze my life therein; that didn’t help a
bit.
Truth was my biggest problem. My
life had been a lie.
The belt would fit around my neck. That’s not the way
to die!
The sandals didn’t fit me, because
I had no peace.
I hadn’t yet arrived at where He’d give me His
release.
My shield of faith was battered.
I thought, “it’s made of tin”.
So even as a Christian, what was I like within?
My one redeeming feature was my
passion for His Word.
I couldn’t get enough of it. I know that sounds
absurd.
But Jesus had a purpose. To kick
my props away.
To make me so repulsed with me, I’d run to Him and
stay.
So over the last 50 years, my
life has been transformed.
The breastplate now feels comfortable; and truth is now
my norm.
The sandals are so comfortable I
never take them off.
I wear them when I go to bed. My helmet I now doff
In honour of my Saviour. My
shield of faith is strong
I keep it in position to keep me from all wrong.
The sword of Jesus’ Spirit
remains my one desire.
And I admit quite openly, He fills my heart with fire.
So if your armour doesn’t fit.
Don’t get into a state.
Ask the Lord to help you and really concentrate
On digging in the Bible, to find
out what it says
And follow Christ your Saviour for your remaining
days.
Jim Strickland – Written 8th November 2011
