Redeemed from the Jaws of Death
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
With lots of cold snowy days this year, we get a lot of mice coming into the house out of the cold. Thankfully we have a good mouser in the house. Once an abandoned kitty that had to hunt for her food, she’s a real pro at catching mice. If we’re lucky, and the mouse is blessed, we can rescue it before our mouser fatally wounds or kills the poor creature.
We have set out a trap for catch and release, but our mouser seems to be more effective. She watches for them. She waits for them, and then she pounces. It is difficult to imagine a cute little mouse with soft fur and big eyes as a tasty morsel to be devoured as prey for a mouser, a hawk, or owls.
After I caught the last mouse and put it outside, I began thinking about how like the mouse we humans are. We are prey for that old lion, the Devil, “who walketh about seeking whom he may devour” Peter explains in 1 Peter 5:8. The Bible tells us that the Devil is our enemy.
Unbelievers too must beware of the Devil, for they are held hostage by him, unable to see their perilous condition. Like a mouse out of reach of our mouser, it is only a matter of time before they will be destroyed. In the meantime the mouser enjoys a little sport with the frightened mouse.
The Devil likes to have a little sport with us, deceiving and tempting. Jesus said he is the “father of lies” in John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
He wants to destroy Believers too, but God provides a way of escape. Consider these words from 1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Our little mouse intruders are at risk the minute they step into our house, because our mouser is on the watch. When one of us comes along to make a rescue, we literally redeem the condemned mouse out of the jaws of death.
The key here is redeemed. Jesus provides a way of escape to those who seek Him in repentance and faith. He is willing to redeem the unbelievers out of the hand of the Devil. Jesus paid the redemption price on the cross.
Today if you realize that you stand condemned before God because of your sin, call out to Jesus. He will forgive the repentant and cleanse away your sin. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When you accept Jesus, God’s Son, as your Savior and Lord, you become new. Sin is forgiven and fellowship with God is restored. You can begin a new life today. Pray, confessing your sin, and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord.
© 2011 by Linda Hull, Words of Encouragement
