Key Verse:
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
Outfielders are not close to the action and their minds can wander while they wait for the batter to hit the ball. Sometimes it takes a while. Not only do some pitchers take a longer amount of time between pitches, but some batters foul off a lot of pitches. The pitcher may have to make eight or nine pitches before the batter hits. Then the batter might strike out and another batter must come to the plate before the ball is ever hit. Sometimes the batters hit only to the infield. This leaves the outfielders in a place of waiting.
That’s when staying alert is extra important. If the mind wanders even a little bit, the crack of the bat hitting the ball will draw his mind back into focus, but the ball is already in play. Missing that moment when the ball comes off the bat means the difference between his ability to read the play, interpret its direction, and be there to either catch or field it cleanly.
The same is true for Jesus-followers. We must be alert at all times. If we let our minds wander, we will be caught off guard and in danger of misreading, misinterpreting, and not being where we need to be and doing what we need to do.
That’s how our opponent works. He lulls us into a place of complacency and then strikes. If we aren’t alert, we can be deceived and we won’t be ready for what’s coming our way.
Okay, there are a lot of ways Jesus-followers can be deceived, but we’re going to focus on one very basic and crucial truth. A truth our enemy does NOT want us to understand; a truth he wants us to misinterpret so our response is off and we create all sorts of hurt for ourselves and others. What is that truth?
God puts us in places of waiting to strengthen us.
Our enemy wants us to doubt the LORD’s love for us. He wants us to feel forgotten and forsaken. He wants to rob us of our confidence in the position we have in Christ Jesus our LORD.
Outfielders have a lot more ground to cover. The gaps between left field, center, and right are big. The gaps between the infield and outfield, and between outfield and the fence are big. He’s not there because he’s of no value to the team. On the contrary! He’s there because his manager knows he is able to accurately interpret the trajectory of the ball’s path, he’s quick enough to cover the ground, and he’s strong enough to return the ball with accuracy to the right location. His manager trusts him to be alert even while he waits.
This week…
1 Read Ephesians 6:1-18 and ask Holy Spirit to help you recognize any places where you have become complacent about the enemy’s desire to deceive you. Practice putting on every piece of armor. Notice the portion of your body each piece protects.
2 Read Isaiah 40:31. What is promised to those who trust in the LORD? Do you really believe those promises? Knowing your answer is crucial during times of waiting. Ask Jesus to show you the places where you struggle to trust.
3 Be alert! Pay attention to your thoughts during times of waiting and/or hardship. Do you struggle with feeling useless and/or forgotten in the outfield of life? Read Romans 8 (yes, the entire chapter). Pay particular attention to all the promises given to those who are in Christ Jesus. Choose one to memorize.
Digging Deeper:
Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31, Jeremiah 29:11-13, John 10:10, Ephesians 6:1-18
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.