Big Black Cat

It's Satan's delight to tell me that once he's got me, he will keep me. But at that moment I can go back to God. And I know that if I confess my sins, God is faithful and just to forgive me.  Alan Redpath

I was sitting on the couch last night when I heard what sounded like kids screaming.  I ran to the front door threw it open and stepped out.  I immediately realized it was two cats.  I thought they were in the bushes in front of our house.  What I didn’t realize as I stepped out was that they were fighting on our roof.  As I stepped back towards the front door I heard scrambling and then I saw two cat legs fall over the edge of the roof.  There was more scuffling and then the cat hanging from the edge of the roof scrambled back up on the roof.  My husband and I stepped out into the front yard and there was a big black cat perched at the top of our roof.  He acted like he owned it. 

Two days prior to this incident I was sitting at the kitchen table working on my computer when I looked up and saw this same black cat stroll across our patio.  That is sort of surprising since my dog hates cats.  My dog may be old but he still has some get up and go left in him.  He caught a grackle last year so I wouldn’t send him to the old dog’s home yet.  I watched as this cat strolled across our patio and thought, “Dude I wouldn’t be strolling like that if I were you. If my dog wakes up and sees you in his yard you’re toast or a breakfast appetizer." 

Anyway, as I thought about this cat he reminded me of how Satan gets into our lives. Sometimes we make it so easy for him.  We get distracted or let our guard down and he steps right in like he owns us.  If we ever let the sin in our life get out of hand; Satan just loves that.  He is celebrating victory when we fall and fail.  The only thing between us and him is God.  Don’t let Satan win.  Take all the energy you have and pour it into knowing God.  Absorb it, dwell in it, live it.  If we are going to overcome Satan in our lives we need to be prepared for the fight of our lives.  He is waiting to devour us.  Don’t give him the opportunity to win.      

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, as I watched this cat sit at the peak of our roof and calmly lick his paws, I was thinking this is how Satan must look when he lures us into sin.  He probably sits there with a grin on his face.  Sometimes I make it so easy for him to win.  I fall and fail over and over again.  You are my salvation.  Draw me back to You so that I may defeat Satan. 

          

Scripture: The Whole Armor of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  Ephesians 6:10-20