A little respite, but not for long

4:40 p.m. Today's project was to search, seek, decimate, destroy and kill every last ant on our kitchen counters. Yesterday we saw a moderate number, and dispatched them with Shaklee Basic-G germicide (organic like most everything I use or grow). They are killed on contact because the dilute solution smothers them without leaving a poison residue behind. We had pretty good success yesterday, but got up today to discover even more of the critters! So, we added boiling water from the coffee pot to our arsenal, killing lots of them in the sink and even cooking a fly at the same time. This heat must be slowing the flies down, too. And our sinks and counters are virtually germ-free!

It took half a day of absolute focus-- sweeping, mopping and wiping up every crumb, spraying and boiling the ants, until Steve finally finished them off while I wrote my Bible study in the office. We just were not about to let insects take over the kitchen I work so hard to keep clean for my family! "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord..." Colossians 3:24 says, so we did!

We have a bit of a respite from the pests now, so we can enjoy dinner as usual, and relax a bit. But we will certainly be on the lookout. How like our Christian life this is! We beat back the enemy's annoying spiritual attacks with prayer, encouragement from others, and resolute effort, and we do receive a rest for a period of time, a sweet reward from our gracious Heavenly Father. Ephesians 6:10-18, the passage on spiritual welfare, tells us to put on the whole armor of
God in order to stand against the wiles of the devil (v.11), as well as wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (v. 12). We are to be focused, prayerful, resourceful and filled with the Holy Spirit. We are not to fight on our own, but to apply the Word, truth, righteousness, faith, and prayer to win the raging battle!(v. 14-18)

I'm enjoying a respite from a few trials that hit our family in the last couple of months, but I know more difficulties are coming--we live on this earth, don't we? So this time will be wisely used for prayerful preparation, and to pray for others in current trials.

The Christian life is the most joyful and satisfying life known to man this side of heaven, but it is also one of vigilance in prayer and applying the word of God.

II Peter 1:5-7 exhorts us:

...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self control, to self control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

And verse 10-11 encourages us:

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The eventual fulfillment of that promise is worth every trial we will ever endure!!