Devotions

HEADS UP

• 1 Peter 5:6 – 8 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.  Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

There’s so much good stuff in that often quoted passage it’s hard for me to write a short devotion.  For instance when I read this passage there are some quick hitter themes that leap off of the page.  I’ll mention three.

• #1. There’s a Bullseye on my Back!

When I stepped over the line for Jesus and made my commitment to Christ I put myself right in the devil’s cross hairs – I am not his target.  I was watching some old footage of the events of 9/11 and they showed President Bush’s Chief of Staff leaning in and whispering in his ear.  We later learned he whispered – America is under attack.  Well Peter is walking up to the church – to the Christian and saying – you are under attack.  The devil is after you  - you have been warned.  Which leads to another theme from this passage.

• #2. At least it’s not an Ambush!

Peter says the devil is like a roaring lion – so there’s a warning before the warfare begins.  Do not be surprised.  And I’m sure the natural reaction for everyone would be to run if a lion showed up.  But that’s not what Peter says to do – He says resist and he encourages us with the thought that we are under God’s mighty hand.  So you’ve got a bullseye on your back but at least it’s not an ambush.  Which leads to the third theme from this brief passage.

• #3. You’ve got the Upper Hand!

Peter wants us to know that same hand of God that brought his people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea is still reigning in our lives.  So for all of us who are feeling under attack, and have hit rock bottom, and don’t know what’s next, and are freaking out, and are crying ourselves to sleep at night, take heart – we have the upper hand.  The hand of God is mighty and strong.  The hand of God will lead us and guide us – the hand of God will deliver us – We have the upper hand.