The woods can appear much safer than they actually are.
My hubby and I were sitting on the porch a few nights ago enjoying the spring air. The sun was getting close to setting, but it was still light out. We could hear sirens in the distance. The high-pitched noise got all of the neighborhood dogs barking and howling. We shook our heads at all of the commotion and then we heard this ear-piercing noise, just off of our yard, in the woods. It was howling just like the other dogs, but their were so many different voices. He and I froze as it dawned on us at the same time. “Coyotes,” we said in unison.
We know that they are back there. We have had neighbors see them from time to time. But, they sounded so very close and there were so many of them. It was truly creepy and it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. The sounds of the sirens subsided as did the shrill howling. Our dogs continued to bark, safely on their side of the fence. I wondered if the dogs knew they were there all along or did the howling alert them as well?
Although unpleasant, it was a reminder that we needed. There are predators out there whether we can see them or not and complacency is dangerous. The Bible tells us that we are in an ongoing spiritual war against “spiritual forces of evil.” It tells us to be vigilant. It does not tell us to be afraid, but to protect ourselves.
It’s a lot like our ongoing, “War on Terror.” We’re not supposed to be afraid to live our lives. If we are, then the terrorists win. We are to live our everyday lives with our eyes wide opened and be prepared to act if necessary. Think about all of the hoops you have to jump through these days if you want to fly. You have to take your shoes off. You can’t carry anything larger than a few ounces. There’s a huge list of requirements to get on an airplane. While we grumble about the huge inconvenience of it all, we grudgingly comply because it keeps us safe.
Our spiritual lives are no different. To be vigilant we need to read the Bible. What exactly does God have to say about this issue or that? We need to pray and listen for His voice. (It may take more than five minutes while we are falling asleep at night.) We need to attend worship service somewhere.
Finally, we really need to get connected to some kind of Christian community. Whether it’s a Sunday school class or a small group or even an online community. Christians need each other to grow deep faith roots. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man (or woman), sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17.
We need each other. We need community. God designed us that way. It can help to fill up our hearts and souls. It can help us in times of grief and celebrate with us in times of joy. It can help to keep us safe. There are predators out there just like the coyotes behind my house. We don’t have fear them. We just have to be vigilant. I think the peace of mind is worth it. Don’t you? I’d love to hear from you.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂