Everybody knows I love bears. It’s a real exciting moment
for me to spy one while driving in the country or on the mountains. But I’m not
saying I want to have a bear in my yard! No, I want them to stay in their
territory while I stay in mine.
With that said, a friend of mine has had a repeat bear
encounter at the home of friends she’s house sitting for. This bear is huge!
And he keeps coming back. He’s persistent and he’s hungry. So the food kept out
for the two watchdogs must be a real delight for him. The bear gets real close as well. Just a glass
is all that’s between my friend and that wild animal.
The biggest problem is he’s gotten way too comfortable
coming within arm’s length of the lady.
He’s been there often enough that now he gets it – grab the food, make
the rounds, dodge the dogs. I would say
that he may have become a nuisance. You know wild animals who live in the woods
will be curious and try to enter your safety zone. But you want them to be
scared away – PERMANENTLY.
Our life in Christ is oh so secure. The cross is our safety
zone. The glass of His loving care keeps the enemy at bay. But he finds us curious. Sometimes we wonder
just how close we can get without being harmed.
We wonder if we can’t just go out on the deck and look a little closer.
Maybe we can even touch what we don’t even need to go near.
Next thing you know we’ve been swiped by the enemy’s big
paw. He caught us, even if only briefly and we’re wounded and in need of our
Savior. We played with fire and we’ve been burned. We lay in the pool of our own mistakes and
wonder why God would even help us. We try to lick our own wounds and vow that
we’ll be more careful next time. We hurt
and we are embarrassed that we were foolish enough to let the enemy of our soul
get so close.
Maybe you’re right in the middle of the mess. You thought
you could live for Jesus and live for yourself. You thought you could look but
not get hurt and yet you’re very injured. Without a Savior you will bleed out
and no one will be able to help. The injuries
are terrible and serious, for the enemy has no desire to leave the weak to live
again. His aim is to kill, steal and destroy.
He will tell you that you are free to do whatever you want. He’ll
convince you that you can open the door, walk out on the deck and even get in
the same proximity with him, but then he leaves you with your problems, your
mistakes and your injured heart, soul and mind.
It’s not worth it beloved. It’s
better to look for the love of God and pursue His righteousness. God will never leave you alone or undefended,
but you will need to follow His directions for safety and for full life.
Oh beloved, God has such a wonderful plan for you! His ways
are so much better than your own desires and hopes. Not only will He give you wonderful things to
pursue, He will keep the enemy at bay. All you have to do is call upon His
Name. He never quits coming to your defense and He will never quit coming to
your aid. He is your precious balm of healing, even when the enemy has gotten
the upper hand. He will never leave His
own to fix themselves or right their wrongs. No matter the circumstances or how you got
where you are, God will pick you up and set you securely on high when you call
on His name.
Run to the safety of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies this
morning! He surrounds you with His love, He protects you with His Spirit and He
has saved you with His gift on the cross. You never have to worry that God
won’t take you back. You don’t ever have to worry that you’ve gone too far,
done too much or ignored His care. Today is your day to turn back to God – for
His love and care are His delight for you.
Give God all of you and let Him protect you His way – no
life hemmed in Christ is ever boring, useless or without excitement. The path
of righteousness is awesome and that’s worth letting Him guard your ways all
the days of your life.
I Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the
devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
James 4:7 So be subject to God. Resist the
devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
Psalm 4:8 In peace I
will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and
confident trust.
2 Samuel 22:4 I will call upon the Lord...so shall I be saved from my enemies.
2 Samuel 22: 20 He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me
because He delights in me.
Psalm 107:19-20 Then they cried out to the LORD in their
trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their
destructions.
Psalm 30:1 I will exalt you, LORD, for You rescued me. You
refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 136:23-24 He
remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us
from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.
