Good morning. One of the benefits of righteous worship is that it “wakes us up” in our faith. The past week may have been long, and perhaps challenging, but with Sunday worship we can find new energy. Proper worship wakes us up and keeps us spiritually alert.
So, I’d like to share a story I enjoy: Eddie was a college student in St. Paul. To his amazement, he discovered a coed who showed an interest in him. As they began dating, Eddie discovered that having a girlfriend was both wonderful and expensive. Shocking! Eddie decided he needed a part time job. He found a note on a bulletin board which said that Como Zoo had a part time job opening. Eddie went right over to inquire about the position. They told him that Oscar, their fine silverback gorilla, was out on loan to another zoo. Because he was a star attraction, they wanted to find a good-sized young man to “play the part” of gorilla until Oscar returned in a few weeks. Eddie had his doubts, but the costume was excellent and after a few hours of training he found that he was a natural. He was put into the gorilla enclosure with an angry, hungry looking lion to his right and a rhino to his left. Before long Eddie was really into his new job. He beat his chest, grunted and howled, and bounced around in a very convincing manner. After about an hour a family came by with two young children. Eddie decided to put on a show, and he was terrifying. As he beat his chest and howled, the children ran back into their mother’s arms. Eddie started to shake the cage bars like he was trying to escape. What fun! That is when he got to the right side of his cage, shook the bars, and found out he was shaking a gate. The gate suddenly opened, and Eddie tumbled down a short hill. He came to rest against the side of the angry and scary lion, which roared. Eddie started screaming for help, hoping to be saved before the lion made a lunch out of him. That is when the lion leaned over and said, “Hey, knock it off will ya! If you keep it up, they’ll fire us both!”
1 Peter 5:8 tells us, Be Alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
This is no joke. We do have an enemy, and he manages a very good imitation of a lion. So good in fact, that he is capable of inflicting terrible damage and destruction.
We are commanded to keep this in mind and to remain on the lookout. We are to be aware and alert, because the devil is always looking for an opportunity.
Please allow your worship today to provide for you the needed wake up call. May we be invigorated and empowered, made ready and alert. There may be a challenging week that starts tomorrow, but we know that He who is in us is greater, and His love never fails.
God bless you today!
Vern