Grazing is the fine art of perusing every channel your cable company offers during one commercial. Give me a remote control and I graze. The other night I was taking nanosecond peeks at TV offerings when I caught sight of a prowling Tiger shark. I immediately stopped grazing! The PBS special focused on how the shark catches its dinner. On the menu that night—Sea Bird! The Tiger shark was a cunning hunter. If the Tiger missed his prey the first time, he would circle back, sneak up behind the tired bird and catch him with one giant gulp. Since I was worn out from a week's activity the part about the "tired bird" caught my attention.
It seems that my susceptibility to temptation increases as my energy decreases. Perhaps that's why Peter warns me about another "Tiger," an evil shark, that is lurking nearby.
"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. (1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT)
The Devil is a crafty foe. Most likely he won't swim your way when you are rested up, prayed up, and devouring large amounts of the Scriptures. But if you've had a busy week, or if you've just won a spiritual battle and your guard is down, or the romantic flame in your marriage is flickering--WATCH OUT! Tired birds make for easy targets.
Is there a safeguard when swimming with the Shark nearby? Yes. Take a firm stand and be strong in the faith. Don't let a worn out body keep you from what really refreshes: time in prayer, time with other believers, time reading and reflecting on God's Word. Hey, even a good nap can be a spiritual power boost if my purpose is to stay alert and not become an easy meal for a lurking Tiger.
FOCAL POINT: Is fatigue making you a prime target for a shark attack? Take time to rest in God so you can be strong in your faith and resist the attacks of the Devil.
Copyright © 2009 Tommy Kiedis