have
Jesus, who has conquered them all, with us, and our hearts should not
fail so long as we can hear His brave voice encouraging us: 'In the
world ye have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world.'

'THE GIRDLE OF TRUTH'

'Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth.'--Eph.
vi. 14 (R.V.).

The general exhortation here points to the habitual attitude of the
Christian soldier. However many conflicts he may have waged, he is still
to be ever ready for fresh assaults, for in regard to them he may be
quite sure that to-morrow will bring its own share of them, and that the
evil day is never left behind so long as days still last. That general
exhortation is followed by clauses which are sometimes said to be
cotemporaneous with it, and to be definitions of the way in which it is
to be accomplished, but they are much rather statements of what is to be
done before the soldier takes his stand. He is to be fully equipped
first: he is to take up his position second. We may note that, in all
the list of his equipment, there is but one weapon of offence--the sword
of the Spirit; all the rest are defensive weapons. The girdle, which is
the first specified, is not properly a weapon at all, but it comes first
because the belt keeps all the other parts of the armour in place, and
gives agility to the wearer. Having girded your loins (R.V.) is better
than having your loins girded (A.V.), as bringing out more fully that
the assumption of the belt is the soldier's own doing.

I. We must be braced up if we are to fight.

Concentration and tension of power is an absolute necessity for any
effort, no matter how poor may be the aims to which it is directed, and
what is needed for the successful prosecution of the lowest transient
successes will surely not be less indispensable in the highest forms of
life. If a poor runner for a wreath of parsley or of laurel cannot hope
to win the fading prize unless all his powers are strained to the
uttermost, the Christian athlete has still more certainly to run, so as
the racer has to do, 'that he may obtain.' Loose-flowing robes are
caught by every thorn by the way, and a soul which is not girded up is
sure to be hindered in its course. 'This one thing I do' is the secret
of all successful doing, and obedience to the command of Jesus, 'let
your loins be girded about,' is indispensable, if we would avoid
polluting contact with evil. His other comman