The following is the April Mission’s Devotional by Jim Fugleberg:
Perhaps few of us who watched the Super Bowl about a month or two ago knew another important football game was going on at the same time.
This one was between the big animals and the little animals:
The big animals were crushing little animals and at half time, the coach made a passionate speech to rally the little animals.
At the start of the second half the big animals had the ball. The first play, the elephant got stopped for no gain. The second play, the rhino was stopped for no gain. On third down, the hippo was thrown for a 5 yard loss.
The defense huddled around the coach and he asked excitedly, "Who stopped the elephant?"
"I did" said the centipede.
"Who stopped the rhino?"
"Uh, that was me too" said the centipede.
"And how about the hippo? Who hit him for a 5 yard loss?"
"Well, that was me as well," said the centipede.
"So where were you the first half?" demanded the coach.
"Well" said the centipede, "I was having my ankles taped."--Borrowed
Some activities in life take time, but pay big benefits. Changing oil on the car takes time, but it preserves the life of the engine. Filling your almost-empty gas tank may be an inconvenient thing to do, especially if you’re in a hurry, but you won’t get far if you don’t.
What about time taken to spend in communication with God? Our quiet time is a daily opportunity. Sunday worship is a regular opportunity. And now, leading up to Easter, Lenten Services are a special opportunity.
Just as dirt has a tendency to accumulate unless we keep cleaning, stuff unless we keep throwing, and weeds unless we keep pulling, so the old attitude “rhinos” and lusts of the flesh “elephants” have a tendency to take over unless we continue to be cleansed, guided, exhorted, and corrected through the Word of God. Just as the tank continues toward empty unless we keep filling it at the pump, and the bank account depletes unless we keep adding the paycheck, so our spiritual life needs to be renewed, lest we have no energy against spiritual lethargy, strength against temptation, or power to serve in love.
In the super bowl of life, the devil regards “two-hand-touch” as sissy stuff. He’s in there for the tackle, and he’s out for blood.
“Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist, steadfast in the faith.” (1 Pet. 5:8-9) And “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Rom 10:17)
Let’s make sure we have our “ankles taped.”
