1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
I have a relatively new hobby. I walk. And I love it. I walk with friends and I walk alone. I walk to move, since most of my day involves sitting with my eyes glued to a computer monitor. I walk to beat out stress and the demons that come along with it. I walk because it is a good habit. I just do.
One early spring day I made it home from work in time to head out the door immediately…before the sun went down for the day. It was unseasonably warm and the perfect day to step outside with my ipod, instead of hopping on the treadmill. About half way through my route, I noticed that I had a follower. A dog. Now, when I walk, I walk at a pretty good clip, so this little follower completely messed up my rhythm and set me on guard. I wasn’t familiar with this dog and didn’t know why he took a liking to this woman out to shed some stress. And he annoyed me.
For a while I ignored him. I told him to go away. I tried to keep him from clumsily walking into the street as cars drove by. I ignored him again. I told him “no”. I shooed him away. On and on it went. And there he was, keeping pace with me, just the same. Just at my back. When I stopped, he stopped. When I walked, he walked right behind me. Irritated, I continued my route through to the end. What is usually a positive, energy-building experience became an arduous task. I finally made it to my home, walked into my house and shut the door.
I couldn’t help but see a spiritual picture in this. The evil one, “prowls around like a lion looking someone to devour”, he’s right there, looking for an opportunity. A way. He knows my steps enough to follow close behind and tries to get his foot into that area that I keep shooing him away from. What relief I experience when I take the time to “go home” to Jesus (in prayer), give that annoyance to him and shut the door on the evil that wants to entangle me.
