The story out of Laurel County, Kentucky less than two months ago captured the nation’s attention. As cars traveled along busy Interstate 75 near London, shots began ringing out. When the shots stopped, 12 cars had been hit and five people had been injured. The manhunt focused on a local man who had posted on social media that he was about to “kill a lot of people”. The hunt ended a few days later when the suspect’s body was found. He apparently had taken his own life.
It’s déjà vu all over again, as the saying goes. Today reports tell of drivers on Interstate 40 near Raleigh, North Carolina who have been hit by gunfire. Six cars have been hit on two different days; one person sustained a wound to their leg, but the others escaped bodily injury. So far there is no word about a possible suspect, though the hunt is intensifying.
This is another reminder that there are few places on earth where one is not subject to danger. What seems to be a routine event – for some, a morning commute to work – now is cloaked in possible mayhem. Who’s to say that the next bullet fired won’t come when we’re the ones driving through that vicinity? When shots come out of nowhere, anything is possible.
The likelihood of such a sniper crossing our path is low, but there’s another scenario that is more than possible: it’s going to happen! The warning in 1 Peter 5:8 speaks of this: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan stalks each one of us, and he waits for opportune moments to strike.
“Stalk” is the right word for Satan. The Bible does not describe him as all-knowing; that’s an attribute of God. But just as a lion stalks its prey, so the devil follows us, observing our choices, our habits, and our weaknesses. In gathering that arsenal of information, he is plotting a plan to strike, to send temptations like shots out of nowhere.
The spiritual parallel to gunfire is temptation to commit sin. James 1:14,15 gives valuable information of how temptation operates: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
These people in Kentucky and North Carolina were totally unprepared for the shots fired at them, but Christians have no reason to be taken by surprise. Further, God provides what we need to defend ourselves when temptations are fired in our direction. Paul described “the armor of God” in Ephesians 6, and one piece of that armor deserves special notice: “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).
As we travel life’s Interstate, let us “be sober, be vigilant”, knowing that Satan will attack us. By preparing ourselves in advance, his attacks will not penetrate our souls. May we do all within our power to strengthen our faith and so fend off every shot that comes at us.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall
