Being Alert

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER OF PETER

BEING ALERT

1 Peter 5:8-11

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

NIV

It certainly requires being in control of oneself and to be very alert against the schemes of the devil as Paul’s letter to the Ephesians warns us as well. That devil is out there prowling around looking to see if anyone is weak enough to devour. A Lion rarely attacks the strongest animal in a herd, but usually will search out either the weaker one or one that has strayed from the herd and is out alone and more vulnerable. There are times, however, a whole pride of lions will take on anything if they are hungry enough. Peter gives us this picture so we can see that the devil and his pack of demons are just like those lions. First of all, we see the need not to be weak in our faith, but to be one of the stronger ones, standing firm in the faith. We should not waver, always keeping strong in the faith. Second, we also see the need to not wander off from the rest of our fellow believers, being aware of their struggles in life, therefore holding them up as well. It is when we feel we are all alone, when we keep to ourselves, forgoing not just the assembling of ourselves, but when we become isolated in our spirit, we become more vulnerable to the schemes of the devil, his attacks against our weakest areas. So we stand alert, always on guard, clothing ourselves in the armor of God, which He has provided. We stand firm, watchful for that roaring lion, the devil, and resist his attacks. That is we do not turn and run, but we take our stand facing our enemy, watching for him sneaking under the bush, and we are not surprised when he makes an effort to pounce on us. We are also aware, alert, watching carefully that scheming devil does not try to drive us into a trap, as we try to avoid his advance. In doing so, in standing firm, in being alert and self-controlled we can be assured the God of all grace, not some grace, but all grace will restore us. That is if we received any wounds from the attack of that devil, God in all his grace, will restore us, for we are making every effort to resist those attacks, however, maybe even being wounded in the process. However, we can always rest assured God will restore us. Still, we need to be alert.