Easy Pickings

Easy Pickings

4/5/17

All of us have used this term at some point in our lives and it is used in such a manner to point out how vulnerable and weak the prey really was at that moment.  We usually refer to these situations when we are watching a documentary about animals or relating some effort by an opponent to take down the other team, but it also can refer to our own lives both physically and spiritually.  We have an eternal and immortal enemy that loves to sit and wait until the time is right for his pouncing, an event that usually comes as a surprise to us.  This surprise status should not be an issue since we have the proper identification guide to warn us from our enemy in this manner yet we ignore this guidepost and go about our own business.  Until we refer back to the Word of God we shall continue to fall prey to our enemy for we do not know his presence, his intentions and his tactics in such violent manners.

Knowing our enemy is a huge topic that we all need to place into the front portions of our minds so that we are totally prepared for the tactics that he uses against us.  We also must consider the amount of hatred he has for God which in turn reflects directly on our lives as well, for we are God’s ultimate creations and pose the greatest and the only threat to the kingdom of Satan.  If we do not understand our enemy and know how his kingdom works we have no real defenses when it comes to his attacks and therefore are vulnerable to whatever method chooses to use against our lives.  One quick note here and that is this: Satan does not care one bit about our lives either the spiritual or the physical but he is interested in our spiritual separation from God because that is the eternal side of our lives and one that cannot be reversed when our physical is over.

I have never been a cat person and up until a few decades ago I had never had a cat, nor did I wish to have a cat.  But when one is placed directly at your feet and then one is placed in your mailbox the heartstrings are strummed by the kids and the parent gives in “just this once.”  This is what occurred at our house when the girls were young and while one of the cats did not survive long the other lived a very long life and turned out to be a very warm and friendly pet.  The first one, however, was its own person and really did not have much to do with humans but was a good mouser and outdoorsy animal.  She had her own personality when it came to hunting as well, and I must admit it was kind of fun to watch her hunt other animals that she considered prey, which leads to the example that I am going to use concerning our eternal enemy as well.

In the house that we used to rent, there was a loft that had windows on two of its sides that would allow a person to look out in almost every direction outside.  It would also allow for me to watch our cat hunt for his prey when it came time for Spring and Summer to roll around.  I could count on this event to occur at least once a week and I usually watched intently as the scene unfolded.  It was not a quick adventure for Silhouette would take her time taking every detail into account before pouncing on the poor bird, sometimes it would even take up to thirty minutes for the entire setting to complete. 

There were no high weeds present or any type of material that would conceal her presence just a black cat crouching along the brown dirt, inching her way closer and closer to her target.  The bird knew she was there for it would hop around and turn its head in the direction that she was in and then stand there for a few moments before hopping back around and going about its business.  I still do not understand the calculated time frame that both animals used but it was fascinating to me to watch both sides of the issue dance with each other before the time arrived for Silhouette to pounce.  What fascinated me the most was that the bird continued its activities as if nothing were wrong even though it would turn on occasion and stare right at Silhouette?  Now, if something you knew was larger than you or looked unfamiliar to you was actually getting closer to you by the minute wouldn’t you leave the area and go somewhere else?  Seems like the right thing to do.

As this scene continued to unfold, Silhouette would continue her approach until the closeness and the path to the bird was just right, and then with one quick movement towards the bird grabs it before it had a chance to fly away.  It was a quick process and within a few seconds the bird had no life left in it and the cat had successfully completed her mission.  While this setting is not one that is unusual, it’s not every day that people get to witness such a calculated process from two animals.  As mentioned above we can sit and watch a similar setting play out on a documentary but be watching one as it really happens is quite interesting.  While I did not have that opportunity to watch this occur every day when I was able to watch I always wondered how it felt to portray both animals and to understand just what each was doing to accomplish their goals at that time.

Watching the bird caught my attention to the tree that it was under and I had to ask myself since the bird saw the cat approaching why didn’t it just fly into the tree to give itself a bit more time to escape?  Even though cats can easily climb trees a bird’s wings could give it so much more of an advantage in the tree and then out of the tree than the cat would ever have.  Yet, the bird stood on the ground just hopping around and acting like nothing was wrong even while staring down its approaching enemy.  The bird acted like that it knew the enemy was there but there was no way possible that it would be quick enough to reach it that day, a complacent attitude that cost the bird its existence.

The cat, on the other hand, had a mission to complete and while it was in plain sight gave off the appearance that it had no intentions of attacking the bird at least that is what it portrayed to the bird.  Silhouette did her job well that day and after a few moments, her prey was in her mouth and its life over; job well done and goal accomplished.  Another detail that I noticed after the bird was dead was that Silhouette became very proud of herself as she held the dead bird in her mouth.  Her sneakiness and cunning appearance turned into a gloating session as she walked away, the bird in her mouth and head held high.  A predator’s trophy look was at its best for the mission had been done and a successful hunt was now finished. 

There were other days that I watched this type of event unfold but had different outcomes.  Sometimes for whatever reason, the bird would just simply fly away or as wondered a bit ago just flew into the tree.  Silhouette would then just rise from her crouching position, turn and walk away.  Other instances proved that the bird would outwit Silhouette and once again Silhouette would leave empty handed, but this setting did not occur very often.  Additional opportunities to watch were produced proved that Silhouette just sat there and did nothing as the bird continued its ways.  While I watched these scenes develop and complete fairly regular I had never put this type of scene into my life and more specifically how our spiritual enemy uses such a setting in order to complete his own mission of death and destruction on our lives.  For some reason, the opportunity was either ripe or it was not and the predator knew which setting was on course for that day.

For the most part, every human understands that there is an evil presence in the world that continually combats the good in people.  There have been countless books, movies, pamphlets, tracts, and other materials published that explain all types of good versus evil settings, both as informational guides and for our entertainment.  But in truth there is one who does not like us at all for it is our presence that threatens his world and while it is through his own selfish and entitlement ways that caused such an atmosphere, he still takes it out on our lives as a source of hateful lust against his Creator.  In knowing that this being does exist we continue to act as the dumb prey to his calling instead of taking heed of the surroundings and knowing how to fight properly before he attacks.

For many reasons, we have become numb to our enemy and have placed him in a category of unimportance just as the bird did with Silhouette.  I could have used any type of animal to present my example for this article but it is the concept of knowing our enemy well enough to understand that we should be aware of his presence and then fight accordingly before we are devoured.  It is bad enough for us to stand around and watch our enemy approach and believe that he does not have bad intentions.  It is even worse to continue to sit around and ignore the warning signs and then become a dead prey because we did not act accordingly after we knew concerning his presence.  Yet, we act like the bird hopping around the ground and acting like nothing is wrong and that we will have plenty of time to get our business in order and leave before he strikes.

A far greater cry for destruction comes in the fact that while we have become aware of our enemy’s presence that we do not consider him a threat because he has not done anything to provoke such a label.  In this case, the prey has written the enemy off as a potential predator, one that has changed its spots in order to fit in with the area or community and should be considered a friend.  This foolish and false belief should quickly be thrown out and our guard up for it is very unusual for any predator to change its natural spots for any reason and when it comes to our eternal enemy it is a guarantee that he has only one deed in mind and that is to see you spiritually die before the eyes of God.  It is hard for me to believe that humans can be so gullible in believing that an enemy has not planned for their assault on our lives especially when the enemy knows that there is only a specific window of time to complete the mission.

We have a perfect example in the Bible of such an event and it occurs in the book of Genesis when Adam and Eve were still living in perfect conditions.  Satan watched and waited for the perfect opportunity to strike Adam and Eve yet it was not a quick process he had the exact same strategy as Silhouette took when attacking the bird.  Satan knew the condition of Adam and Eve and he understood the surroundings well enough that he knew the advantage would be his.  Satan has predatory skills that he uses in order to entice his prey to stand around and to go about your business but do not recognize him as an enemy.  It is a sneaky challenge for it follows the exact same patterns as animals have and it has the same results as the animal kingdom produces as well.

There is no doubt that Adam and Eve had been instructed about Satan and the ways that he would present himself but when he did not attack immediately they must have thought differently about him, maybe he had changed and was not going to harm them in such a manner that God had warned against.  By the actions of Eve, it is evident that when confronted by the serpent she was enticed enough to lie about the command of God and willingly took advantage of disobedience instead of following God’s one law correctly.  It was at this moment that Satan knew the opportunity was right and all of his waiting and watching had paid off. The trap was set and the bait was taken and the prey had just been caught in the teeth of the enemy and their lives and consequently ours were now changed forever.

It is never a good idea to assume that a predator or enemy has the intent of becoming friends.  We cannot afford to become complacent with the thought that Satan is our friend and that he will tell us the truth for his only desire is to watch our lives be eternally separated from God with no hope of returning to a united condition.  In every way mentioned in the example above plus countless others Satan will use these tactics in order for us to let our guard down enough to provide him the necessary opportunity to strike.  Satan watches us and understands what is going on in our lives and he knows enough about us to know when to strike or when to just make his presence known.  Even if he just makes his presence known and walks away we must be at the ready to defend ourselves, because if we do not his strike will be sharp, on target, and lethal.

Just as the bird had its mechanisms of defense for whatever reason it became comfortable with Silhouette the cat being around it. This decision of the bird cost it its life and it was not allowed to live another day.  Each day I read about where someone has had enough with life and wants to end it all, give up and play the game no more, need I say that Satan’s opportunity is ripe in that life and I can guarantee that he will strike while he dances around them.  Satan and his kingdom (the world) does not care anything about you and will do everything possible in order to bring you into its death trap.  We are not defenseless against such tactics for we have been given the greatest manual for our protection against such wicked and horrid attacks.  We have only one life and one existence and it is the job of our enemy to make sure we end it just as his did so long ago by making the choice to ignore him and to succumb to his presence and grip.

I did not think of this next portion of the message until a few minutes ago when God dropped it in my heart but it is a point of relevance like no other.  All of those times I sat and watched birds either become the prey of the cat or was just being watched for future activities from the cat, that my watching was the extent of my participation.  And while I can never be considered to play the role of God or even consider to be comparable to God, I feel like I was “playing” God while I was watching the scene unfold because I saw every detailed moment unfold.  While I was at a distance, my eyes could watch both entities take part and as I watched the scene be completed it either ended in death or life for the prey.  I could have knocked on the window or intervened in some other way, but I did not. 

I have to admit that I was a tad disappointed when the bird was caught and its life was at that moment over.  As I sat and watched Silhouette take the conquering prance, I could not help but feel a bit angry as well for it was at that moment when I asked why the bird did not use its defensive mechanisms to thwart the attack of the cat.  I cannot help but think that God has similar thoughts running through His mind when one of His children falls to the darts of Satan.  The bird understood how to defend itself, for its mother had taught it before it left the nest, why?  Why do we fall into the same traps as the bird?  We have been equipped with every detailed provision for our defense yet we believe that our way of doing things is best, why??  In no way am I stating that God is a heartless Creator but He has given us the ability to know how to defend ourselves against the enemy.  This does not mean that He has abandoned us in our time of need, but it reflects the necessity of us to understand our defenses and how to use them at ALL times.

God has given this article for us today so that we will closely review our hearts and wipe away every ounce of the world that resides in our hearts, for He understands that if we allow the world to be present in our hearts that it will not be too much longer until the ruler of that world shall come to his rightful house.  We will be like the bird gasping for its last breath wondering why God did not protect us while we went along our way minding our own business.  If we do not act according to the means by which God has provided us then we are in truth tempting God and therefore, thumbing our noses in His face.  We have such far greater value than a bird, a cat, or any other animal that roams on the ground, swims or flies so why would we voluntarily spite God?  It is our choice to either do such an act or to live through His Word and live life according to how He originally designed for us to exist.

God loves us and has given us the one true source of protection and it is our duty to study its content of life so that we may live in His Word and advance His Kingdom while we take each breath.  God is a provider, not a taker but we shall never understand this truth about Him if we do not take His Word and apply it to our lives.  It is not only our provision for us to live under His Word but our duty to share this protection with others so they can defend themselves as well.  Satan does not care who you are, what sex you may be, or what ethnicity you originate physically from all he cares about is your stolen eternal life from God.  And while Satan knows his time is short his methods of destruction have been easily applied in our lives due to the lack of wisdom that we demonstrate and it is through this observation tactic that we portray to the predator that we are sitting birds for his grip. 

Church it is our responsibility to warn others about the dangers of our enemy but first, we must rid ourselves of his presence in our lives so that we can complete the mission that Jesus gave us.  Our defenses are easily put on and lightly carried but we must place them on correctly in order for our entire lives to be protected.  We must study the Word of God thoroughly in order for us to have this protection it is there and provided within full for our daily usage.  God asks us to reconsider our choices and to repent of our sins and turn back to Him so that we may live life abundantly and not live under constant defeat and ultimately death.

DLB