Prayer:
Lord, God, our strength, the battle of good and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word and, when we fall, raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you’re the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Bible Reading:
Luke 4:1-11
Silence:
one to two minutes
Reflection:
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believer, and to fells an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” So says C.S. Lewis in his delightful book Screwtape Letters. I dare say we lean toward the former, punctuating our disbelief with the suggestion “the devil made me do it”. The imagery used in the Bible does not seem to fit the sophistication of the twentieth century. Yet, two World Wars and a Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, a series of genocides, and deepening poverty in the midst of abundance, hardly fit the mold of sophistication, maybe even giving some credibility to the reality of the devil. I think it makes sense to use the biblical imagery – knowing that there is an enemy seeking you harm, may make your life more serious.
Action – Repentance and Creation:
Consider the impact of realizing the presence, or rather the evidences of the devil throughout the day. Does it make you more careful, fearful, confident, uneasy, superstitious, etc? Make a list of the “sightings”, and if you have another person to talk with, share your observations.