A Lesson From a Beaver

It seems there is never a dull moment around the pond. We thought a beaver might have taken a liking to our pond. My husband and our son discovered this was the case as they were walking back towards the house after hunting in the surrounding woods. Making their way around the westerly edge of the pond they located what they were certain was a burrow. Within the week that beaver gave us a bit more proof of his existence by gnawing and felling a hardwood tree just at the edge of the pond.

I have thought about that old beaver, how easy it had been for him to just slip on in. We didn’t even know it until damage had been done. Satan can move into our lives just as easily if we are not on our guard! Most often, just like with our beaver, we are not aware of a problem until we see damage. Unlike our tree that cannot be repaired, Jesus makes repairs in our hearts, minds and lives.

Heed the warnings of Satan as we find in I Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” In Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” To be sober means to be serious minded, to be intelligent concerning the strategies of Satan, but how do we do that? Studying God’s Word, praying for wisdom and the ability to discern what is of God. Remember that Satan shows himself as an angel of light, sometimes without being steadfast in prayer and studying the Bible it could be hard to distinguish Satan’s attack.

My second thought is on the armour of God; notice that the scripture says the whole armour of God. We must be completely armed, just a piece or two just won’t do. Know that the devil is certain of your weakness and that is where his strike will be! To remind yourself of the pieces of God’s armour read Ephesians 6:11-18.

In closing I chose the scripture from James 4:7 which says simply, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Penned by an unknown author, this verse is from a song titled “Resist the Devil”:

God promised to deliver and set us free, And give us power o'er the enemy. The Word of God will make the devil flee: God's word is stronger than he'll ever be.