Every Sunday morning hubby and I go to Sunday morning worship services at our local church here in town. Then afterwards, we come home and we have “second church” watching our favorite online pastor.
Such was the case this past Sunday. Hubby and I were sitting on our couch at home watching the powerful online sermon … when suddenly my eye was caught by a little squirrel outside the window, climbing up the siding of our house as if it were a “squirrel ladder.”
I immediately lost focus on the sermon. The little squirrel was headed for the roof.
The little squirrel paused on the small ledge above our bedroom window to take stock of the situation. I have watched a little mouse do such a thing (climbing up the siding then traversing the small ledge above our bedroom window) but I have never seen a squirrel do such a thing.
Just above this spot is where the old concrete roofing tiles had started falling off the house. For sure a mouse had found a way in underneath the tiles and had made its home there. Hubby and I had been hearing it scampering about during the nights for months.
Hubby and I suspected the reason the concrete roofing tiles started falling off the house was probably because an owl had been trying to get the mouse living underneath there.
The little squirrel this past Sunday paused on the small ledge atop the window, then attempted to climb the rest of the way up onto the roof. I was curious to see if it would make it. The old concrete roofing tiles had plenty of “grip.” The new metal roof – I’m not sure it would be as easy to access.
The little squirrel backed down to the ledge again, then once more tried to climb up … only to back down once again.
It was very cold out: 28*F. The facia board just below the roof was icy and slippery.
Finally, the little squirrel decided to make a jump for it!
It gave its biggest leap … only to miss!
The little squirrel went flying through the air, disappearing below the windows out of sight. I totally laughed out loud (right during the middle of the sermon)! Though – poor little squirrel.
Hubby and I paused the online sermon, and I went out to check and make sure the little squirrel was ok. Directly underneath where the little squirrel had fallen were these planters. Since its winter, there are no pots in the planters at the moment. Did the little squirrel fall down through the planter box??
Here you can see that the planter boxes are open all the way through to underneath the house. Did the little squirrel bounce off a board and wind up underneath the house??
The little squirrel was nowhere to be seen. Which obviously meant it was perfectly fine.
Squirrels are specially designed by God to be able to handle falls from heights. As a squirrel is falling it focuses its gaze on a specific spot on the ground where it intends to land. It then rotates/pivots its body and tail so that it always lands on its feet. All of this happening in a split-fraction of a second. It’s amazing!
Relieved that the little squirrel was ok, hubby and I resumed our online sermon. However, a verse continued to linger in my head: “Do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:27
Little squirrels do not belong up on our roof. Neither do little mice belong up on our roof. But that doesn’t stop them from trying. They are seeking to find some weak vulnerable spot where they can move right in and make a home.
Satan is trying to do this exact same thing.
If we are a follower of Jesus Christ, Satan does not belong in our life – at all! But that doesn’t stop him from trying. He is looking for some weak vulnerable spot in our life where he can move right on in and make a home.
Hence the warning: “Do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:27
The warning in Ephesians is in the context of emotions and our thoughts. The things we allow our mind to dwell on will ultimately determine what type of person we become. Therefore, it we are allowing our mind to be consumed with anger – this will give the devil a foothold. And he will move right on in to our life.
Ephesians 4:31 warns: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
These attitudes of the mind will give the devil a foothold. And Satan will move right on in to our life.
Ephesians 4:25 also warns: “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully.”
Any form of lying (no matter how small or “harmless”) will give the devil a foothold in our life. And he will move right on in.
So … how do we keep the devil from getting a foothold in our life??
Proverbs 4:23 tells us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
We must constantly be vigilant to guard our heart. We must constantly be vigilant to watch what we allow into our mind … and what we allow our mind to dwell on.
