Closing the Gap

I have not posted in awhile, been pretty busy with other things, and really have not felt the greatest either. This morning one of my devotionals that I use, by Ed Young, was a thought I wanted to share. Hope you get something from it too.

1 Peter 5:8 (New International Version)

⁸Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Have you ever seen a video of a lion stalking its prey? The moves are quite precise as it sneaks up as close as possible to the unsuspecting mark. It is able to stalk with its body low to the ground to prevent from being seen. And during the approach, the lion makes note of every weakness and has no problem exploiting them for the purpose of a tasty meal. Then, when the prey least expects it, the lion pounces.

The Bible says that Satan is just like that lion. He watches from a distance noticing each weakness and area of temptation. He sneaks into our lives in ways we do not detect, and camouflages his actions so that we mistake his deception for fulfilling opportunities. But the difference between Satan and a lion is that Satan does not always have to run after us; many times Satan leads us to a place where we render ourselves helpless and defeated.

Not every opportunity is from God. Satan can open doors as well. In fact, he loves to consume our time with good opportunities so we miss the great opportunities God has for us. God wants us to enjoy a full, abundant life of freedom. But we will never experience that fullness as long as there is a gap between our priorities and commitments.

God desires to help us close that gap. Arranging our priorities based on God's Word will help to keep us out of the bondage of Satan's grasp and in the freedom of Christ's plan for our lives.