Keeping Track of the Enemy
Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. . . . And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! Mark 13:33-37, NKJV.
Have you ever wondered how Elijah could have become so disheartened and discouraged after the tremendous victory God gave him on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18, 19)? After all, it was the same man ravens had already sustained miraculously in the wilderness! Yet in his fatigued, worn-out state Elijah's faith and confidence in God failed him. Suddenly terribly afraid, he ran for his life.
We, like Elijah, find ourselves in a contest between good and evil. It is a struggle just as fierce as the one on Mount Carmel, but it plays out in our lives daily.
Let's take a moment to look at the impact fatigue has on modern-day soldiers serving in artillery fire direction centers. Part of their job is to plot the location of artillery targets as requested by forward observers, and to update their situation maps continually.
Studies indicate that when a team has rested, it performs very well. However, when tired, it ceases to keep up the situation map. As a result, its members lose grasp of their position in relationship to friendly and enemy units, and consequently often do not know what they are firing at!
We are like those soldiers too! When we are tired, our vigilance wanes. Our ability to set priorities and focus attention on the tasks at hand vanishes. The events and crises of life drive us, instead of the other way around. Yet we are unaware that anything has affected our performance!
Our Christian life suffers in exactly the same way. Fatigue lessens our spiritual vigilance. We're more likely to have lapses of attention, and it is at these weak moments that the enemy chooses to make his moves. During this state we also easily lose sight of the enemy, thus totally missing him and his maneuvers against us.
Do you consider fatigue a normal part of your life? Remember, fatigue profoundly affects your performance at home, at work, and for the Lord. It was not until Elijah had rested that his faith and confidence in God returned.
Lord, help me to choose to get seven or eight hours of sleep each night so that I can remain a vigilant, watchful soldier for You!
Have you ever wondered how Elijah could have become so disheartened and discouraged after the tremendous victory God gave him on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18, 19)? After all, it was the same man ravens had already sustained miraculously in the wilderness! Yet in his fatigued, worn-out state Elijah's faith and confidence in God failed him. Suddenly terribly afraid, he ran for his life.
We, like Elijah, find ourselves in a contest between good and evil. It is a struggle just as fierce as the one on Mount Carmel, but it plays out in our lives daily.
Let's take a moment to look at the impact fatigue has on modern-day soldiers serving in artillery fire direction centers. Part of their job is to plot the location of artillery targets as requested by forward observers, and to update their situation maps continually.
Studies indicate that when a team has rested, it performs very well. However, when tired, it ceases to keep up the situation map. As a result, its members lose grasp of their position in relationship to friendly and enemy units, and consequently often do not know what they are firing at!
We are like those soldiers too! When we are tired, our vigilance wanes. Our ability to set priorities and focus attention on the tasks at hand vanishes. The events and crises of life drive us, instead of the other way around. Yet we are unaware that anything has affected our performance!
Our Christian life suffers in exactly the same way. Fatigue lessens our spiritual vigilance. We're more likely to have lapses of attention, and it is at these weak moments that the enemy chooses to make his moves. During this state we also easily lose sight of the enemy, thus totally missing him and his maneuvers against us.
Do you consider fatigue a normal part of your life? Remember, fatigue profoundly affects your performance at home, at work, and for the Lord. It was not until Elijah had rested that his faith and confidence in God returned.
Lord, help me to choose to get seven or eight hours of sleep each night so that I can remain a vigilant, watchful soldier for You!
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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