I was sitting in the backyard of a hut at a village – one of UCEM Rural Mission Field – enjoying the evening tropical breeze and heroically resisting the numerous midges which were trying to get into their tiny bodies some of my precious blood.
Suddenly, my attention was drawn to a giant ant crawling along near my feet. For no reason I myself could explain, I fixed my gaze on the creature as it inched its way away from me.
What I didn’t immediately realize was that I was not the only observer of the ant. Two lizards at the wall of the hut were following her with their sharp eyes from different directions. But they wouldn’t dare an attack because of my presence.
As she moved further away from me, they moved down the wall. I could imagine the lizards saying, “Good boy, get away from that monster human being. He has nothing to offer you. Get wise, dummy, come to us! We have some great plan for you!”
For some reasons known only to the ant, she would turn about and head towards me, though she wasn’t aware of the two lizards stalling her. The lizards would beat a hasty retreat back up the wall. Then the big, black creature would turn round again and move away from me. The observant lizards would retrace their steps down the wall.
I suddenly felt protective towards the ant. But I made up my mind that I would protect her from her deadly enemy only if she stayed around me. I wasn’t ready to run around chasing away some lizards because of some dumb giant ant.
Oh, how I wish the ants would stay in my immediate area! How I wish it would not give the lizards the opportunity they needed to gobble her. But oh, no! The ant, like the fools of the world, chose to abandon her protector and move into the enemy territory.
It kept going until she had moved far from me – far enough for the lizards to decide it was safe enough for them to get their dinner.
When the lizards were sure that their prey had left enough distance between us for them to make a safe attack without risking my intervention, they moved in.
As quick as a striking adder, one of the two lizards struck and devoured her. And it was the end of the one who would not stay in the area of her protector!
Some Christians are like the giant ant. For one foolish reason or the other, they move away from their eternal Protector, Jesus Christ, and stray into the territory of the enemy of their soul.
The Bible warns, ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour’ 1 Pet. 5:8for .
There is no doubt about the fact that the devil is your enemy. He hates you as no human being can ever hate you. His desire for the destruction of your soul is indescribable. He doesn’t want a moment of joy for you in the world. Eternal suffering in the burning lake of fire is his full desire for you.
The devil lures many foolish Christians away from the protective area of Jesus - the Captain of Salvation, the defender of the people of God - with money and luster of worldly glory. They stupidly move away from Jesus to the enemy of their soul in the hope that the enemy will help them get the good things of life they desire.
Jesus warned strictly, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5.
Inside Jesus is the ‘Safe Territory.’ Outside Jesus is the enemy’s territory, the danger zone. If for any reason you move away from Jesus, you move into trouble.
Don’t give the enemy the opportunity he needs to destroy you body, soul and spirit. Stay with Jesus whatever happens.
Fellow, ‘with purpose of heart… cleave unto the Lord.’ Acts 11:23.
Never let anything separate you from your Savior, Defender and Protector. The Apostle Paul asks a thought-provoking question, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?’ Rom. 8:35
To this question every genuine child of God should give an unequivocal answer: “Nobody and nothing.”
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