1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
This evening, as I was coming in from gathering a few items from my car, I almost stepped my bare feet directly upon a snake. To say that I hate snakes would be a drastic understatement. I loathe the very thought of snakes. When God placed a curse between the woman and the serpent, He meant it for direct enmity between snakes and me for life. (I digress.) It was still light out and the snake was directly in my path. However, there was a lot of activity going on in our neighborhood and yard (cars driving by, squirrels running up trees, etc.) and so I was distracted. It wasn't until I was directly upon the snake that I noticed it.
How often we do the same in our spiritual lives? We get distracted by harmless enough events. Yet, it keeps us from being watchful from things that warrant our attention. The difference between my example and Scripture is that this snake was not daring to come after me. He was simply minding his own business. It was I who almost interrupted his evening. However, John 10:10 says that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, he actively looks to harm those he seeks. Likewise, 1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil prowls like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Therefore, we are to be alert and sober minded.
The Christian community is called to wake up and keep watch because the adversary is actively prowling to consume. I think we often either deny the existence of a real enemy of God or we bury our heads in the sand, assuming a spiritual attack would never happen to us. We don't understand spiritual warfare and therefore, we simply ignore it. However, Scripture commands us to wake up and realize that there is more going on in the world than our own agenda. The easiest way for an enemy to defeat an opponent is to catch them off guard.
This evening was a wake up call for me. As much as I despise snakes, I know that there is a greater adversary out there who desires nothing more than for me to be distracted by "harmless" frivolities. However, I must stay the course, knowing that I am on this earth for a Kingdom purpose and continue to look to Christ as my source and my strength.
This evening, as I was coming in from gathering a few items from my car, I almost stepped my bare feet directly upon a snake. To say that I hate snakes would be a drastic understatement. I loathe the very thought of snakes. When God placed a curse between the woman and the serpent, He meant it for direct enmity between snakes and me for life. (I digress.) It was still light out and the snake was directly in my path. However, there was a lot of activity going on in our neighborhood and yard (cars driving by, squirrels running up trees, etc.) and so I was distracted. It wasn't until I was directly upon the snake that I noticed it.
How often we do the same in our spiritual lives? We get distracted by harmless enough events. Yet, it keeps us from being watchful from things that warrant our attention. The difference between my example and Scripture is that this snake was not daring to come after me. He was simply minding his own business. It was I who almost interrupted his evening. However, John 10:10 says that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, he actively looks to harm those he seeks. Likewise, 1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil prowls like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Therefore, we are to be alert and sober minded.
The Christian community is called to wake up and keep watch because the adversary is actively prowling to consume. I think we often either deny the existence of a real enemy of God or we bury our heads in the sand, assuming a spiritual attack would never happen to us. We don't understand spiritual warfare and therefore, we simply ignore it. However, Scripture commands us to wake up and realize that there is more going on in the world than our own agenda. The easiest way for an enemy to defeat an opponent is to catch them off guard.
This evening was a wake up call for me. As much as I despise snakes, I know that there is a greater adversary out there who desires nothing more than for me to be distracted by "harmless" frivolities. However, I must stay the course, knowing that I am on this earth for a Kingdom purpose and continue to look to Christ as my source and my strength.
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