"Protector"

The trail before me steepened,

My old pony raised his head,

My heart within me listened,

There’s danger, all it said.

And I’m not prone to fearful,

But caution is the rule,

And so I got a fresh grip,

Don’t want to play the fool.

We picked our way so careful,

The trail, it widened out,

And then I could see clearly,

What the danger was about.

There a mama with a baby,

That looked a few days old,

And a couple wolves a-circlin’,

Death coming to take hold.

But that old cow had courage,

And was puttin’ up a fight,

Didn’t have those horns for nothin’,

‘Fore those wolves could take a bite.

I reached back for my pistol,

Raised and shot it in the air,

Them old wolves, they took off runnin’,

And were no longer there.

Eased around the mama,

And got both started down,

And soon back with the others,

And then I heard the sound,

Of a lonesome wolf a-howlin’,

And I thought, not today,

As long as I am riding,

I’ll keep the pack at bay.

And gettin’ close to dark now,

And I can see the lights,

From the porch and windows shinin’,

Where our family spends our nights.

And I listened to the wind blow.

And I heard the whisper say,

Protect the ones I gave you,

And they will be okay.

This world has its killers,

The way it’s always been,

And someone has to face them,

And I will always send,

What you need when needed,

To do what you must do,

And as I got unsaddled,

I knew that it was true.

The door before me opened,

And there my wife and kin,

Giving smiles and hugs and laughter,

I won’t let the evil in.

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you…” (James 4:7, NLT)

I’m not paranoid about the devil, neither do I blame everything bad that happens on him. Same time, I’m aware that we’re in a spiritual fight with the forces of darkness. But how does one resist the devil and watch him flee? The preceding verse gives a clue: humility triggers grace. I don’t think its an overstatement to say that the greatest tool of the enemy, and the most dangerous way we give place to him is our pridefulness. Arrogance invites the worst from the devil. But God graces the humble, and its in the strength of that grace that we win the battle with the devil. The war is won, mind you, but there are still battles to fight, for ourselves and in behalf of those we love. Humble yourself. Resist him. You can make him run. Run, devil, run.

Lord, help us humbly walk with You, and resist the devil, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.