Africa-Press – Malawi. We lock our doors at night in fear of danger. We unleash security dogs and hire as many security guards as we can afford. Heavy steel bars secure our entrances. We do everything we can to protect our lives and property.
There is however an enemy far more fierce than the robbers around us. He prowls around our lives like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He can break families and tear nations apart. His agenda is clear – to steal, kill and destroy.
We protect ourselves against thieves that steal flower vases in our backyard more than we do against the Devil whose ability to destroy us is far much more sinister. How ironical.
A leading contemporary Christian band in USA called Casting Crowns recently released an album called Thrive. The last song in the album is called “Waiting on the night to fall”. Its a simple but inspiring song that speaks volumes about our vulnerability to spiritual attack.
“He’s waiting on the night to fall, the old mans coming to call, you don’t see the writing on the wall,
He’ll never step out in the light, no, he’s just biding time, and while you slumber, he’s gonna come and take it all, he’s waiting on the night to fall, he’s waiting on the night to fall”.
According to the band leader, Mark Hall, the song is actually about addictions. “This is a song about addiction, about someone that’s trapped by something they are hooked on. Addiction is like an old man who has got us in some way. Addiction is patient and [says], ‘If you want to be excited about Jesus this week, you go right ahead. I’ll just be right here. Run and sing your songs and do your thing and I’ll be here waiting.’ It seems like that with every record there is a warning song.”
The devil uses everything in his abilities to snare us into sin. He hopes to catch us unawares and bring us down. Whilst in our slumber he comes to take it all. Unfortunately many don’t see the writing on the wall. The last stanza of the song warns what evil does to us.
“While you’re feasting at his table, he’ll tie your hands and numb your mind, he’ll take you farther than you wanna go, he’ll keep you longer than you wanna stay, and it will cost you more than you ever thought you’d pay”
But perhaps what grabs my attention in the song more than eve r y thing else is the defensive mechanisms that remain available for man to fight the enemy. The song argues that we our weapons (Bible) lie dusty on our bookshelves unused. We have turned our source of strength into ornaments that decorate our bookshelves.
“He knows you have the answers, but Truth lies dusty on your shelf, and the sword that you could slay him with has become an ornament and nothing else, you could put him back down in his hole in the ground, but he knows you never will, he’s been around so long you got used to the smell”
The word of God is more than enough to prepare us for righteous living according to 2 Timothy 3 vs 16-17. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (New King James Version).
A life that meditates on the word of God day and night, spends time in prayer and spends time in fellowship with fellow believers is equipped to stand against the test of evil. Woe to him who forgets that there is an enemy around us baying for our blood. He’s simply waiting for night to fall. This is a song to remember everyday!
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