Light Pushes the Prowling Lion Away
My Family in Christ, if you have not noticed or understood just how much danger you are in each day – not just the physical or emotional dangers that come simply from living in a cursed and fallen world, but the far more eternally dangerous spiritual enemies you face, then open your eyes to the truth. Luther once commented that if we could for one moment have the blinders removed from our eyes and could see the enemies that surround us, the arrows and spears the devil has pointed at us, we would at once fall down and cry out to our Lord for mercy and help. Lord open our eyes to this truth!
You know from the scriptures how (1 Peter 5:8) “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Well child of God, YOU are that one he seeks. Not only because you are one created in the image of God, but far more so because you have been re-created in the image of God through Christ Jesus! Because by God’s gracious work you are His beloved child, the devil has targeted you and daily hunts you down, firing shot after shot of arrows and daggers in the hopes of weakening or even destroying your faith in Christ – and he never gives up.
In a recent Good News article the following story was related: “Seventy years ago, Christian missionaries were visiting native people in central South America. As they traveled up a river, they were suddenly hit by a wall of water caused by heavy rain further upstream. With their boat capsized, supplies drenched, and the darkness of night rapidly descending, the missionaries built a campfire along the river. In the middle of the night, one missionary noticed two large jaguars prowling around…Realizing that these cats stayed just outside the border of light from the campfire, the missionaries decided that one of them had to remain awake to keep the fire burning, keeping the hungry jaguars at bay. As the campfire burned down and the border of light moved inward, the cats also moved inward toward the sleeping missionaries. For their safety and survival, the missionaries needed the light of the campfire.”
You have the roaring lion Satan prowling around you right now, hungry with the desire to kill you for eternity. He is stronger than you, smarter than you, never tires and is terrible in his subtle cunning and attacks. Oh how he constantly fires doubts into your mind and heart. How often does he shoot accusations at you, condemning you for your failures and sins! How often does he attack your prayer life with distractions or worse, with thoughts that it a waste of time or effort to pray!
He presents distractions and alternatives, feeds thoughts of excuses that can keep you away from the Divine Service – and the light of your campfire begins to shrink and the lion gets closer. He gets you to abandon the study and meditation of God’s Word at home – and the light of your campfire shrinks further. He constantly is chipping away, stalking and prowling, attacking and stealing in the hopes that he can turn you away from Christ, away from the Light and seize you.
But Children of God, YOU DO HAVE the Light of the World Jesus Christ, YOU DO HAVE the light of His Word and Sacraments and this light drives the devil away. In his Large Catechism, Luther explains: “Nothing is so effectual against the world, the flesh and the devil and all evil thoughts as to be occupied with God’s Word, in conversation and meditation…No smoke of incense or other savor will be so offensive to Satan as your occupying yourself with God’s commandments and words, speaking, singing, and thinking concerning them. That is …which Satan avoids and which puts him to flight.”
You do have a terrible enemy and great danger surrounding you. But “He who is in you is greater that he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4) And He has given you the very same Word He used to send the devil fleeing as well! By the grace of God, BE IN THE WORD. Do not let the devil or your flesh keep you from the Divine Service where the Word made flesh Himself comes to you and serves you His grace. Do not let the devil keep you away from spending time in the Word at home every day. The Word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path – and a great defense against the prowling lion Satan!