“‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.'” Psalm 91:14

“They’re BAAAAAA-AAACK!!” The rats that is. But honestly, having grown up with an ex-exterminator, I know for a fact that they were never REALLLY gone! The few I had caught before may have put a dent in their numbers, but in reality, it was a very small dent! And before anyone gets all freaked out, disgusted or judgy… I’ll remind you of a fact… they’re around YOUR house too!

The old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ works wonders for our mental security. When our children had nightmares over things ‘out there,’ we got creative and protective in our wisdom. For whatever fear they had, we came up an answer to combat them, responding to their fears with our own strength. When my little daughter worried about burglars, I showed her my bat! She slept well!

Rats are out there, in the dark, all the time! They are smart and cunning. I set some traps out and caught 3 right away. Since then, when I check the traps, I find the traps have been ‘set off,’ with no rat to be found. They are sneaky, and somehow LEARN to be even sneakier! I swear they’re a by-product of satan. No matter how hard I try in my faith, satan tries even harder to trap me! It’s tiring!

I found myself reading the temptation of Christ this morning, landing in Psalm 91. When satan came to Jesus, he quoted from this Psalm, but left part of it out as bait to trap Jesus. But Jesus is no rat! He saw the trap and avoided it. But the entire Psalm is an EASY trap for ANYONE who loves God. Because it promises a LOT of things (like rescues) that honestly, we don’t always experience!

The devil has learned my weaknesses and knows where I am vulnerable. He LOVES it when I puff out my chest and claim my invincibility ‘in the Name of Jesus.’ When rescue, from pain, sorrow, hurt or fear doesn’t come… satan makes sure to rub this verse, and others like it, into my heart to try to get me to feel abandoned. Sadly and much of the time, it works. Trapping me again in defeat or despair.

But God! The verse satan left out was “He will guard you in all your ways.” Seems straightforward to me! Except that MY ways are NOT ALWAYS God’s ways. Satan knew that Jesus knew that… and omitted it. But do YOU know it? Because if we are walking in GOD’S ways… ANYTHING that happens HERE, will NEVER keep us from His rescue to THERE!

Mighty, wearied, warrior… have YOU been baited or are you feeling trapped? Don’t stay in the darkness or take the bait! Why not read Psalm 91