Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, July 15, 2011

"Conies [rabbits or rock badgers] are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the crags."¹

While tiny ants teach us many lessons, including the importance of being prepared as much as possible for whatever might come our way, the conies or rock badgers show us the need for precaution and being responsible for taking care of ourselves.

These small animals hide behind the rocky crags jutting up in the mountains where eagles can't get to them. They also hide close to the rocks where they remain unseen by prowling lions. Away from the safety of the rocks they would be dead meat.

Some of us are too overdependent, depending on somebody else or the government to take care of us. God's goal for each of us is that we mature and grow up, not be dependent or overdependent, but interdependent. If we don't take care of ourselves and protect ourselves from the many temptations and potential pitfalls that come our way, nobody else is going to do it for us.

As Peter put it, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."²

We don't want to become cynics, but we do need to be careful, take necessary precautions, and accept full responsibility for every area of our life. And, above all, we need to trust our life to God daily as did David who said, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge … He is my stronghold."³

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to always put my trust and take refuge in you. Deliver me from evil, temptation, harm and disaster. And guide me in the way that I should go. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 30:26 (NIV).
2. I Peter 5:8 (NIV).
3. Psalm 18:2 (NIV).

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