Watch Out For Vultures!

Sitting on my stoop, I reveled in the cool breeze that was blowing, the beautiful weather a result of a storm front that had moved through the night before. This morning the air was cooler, the humidity was low. Not only was there a lovely breeze, but the birds were singing, there were really big turkeys in the field, strutting around like they owned the place, which was entertaining to watch. As I watched them, a mother deer and her baby ran across the end of the field. Another blessing. What a show of nature I get as I sit on the stoop and drink in the glory of God all around me.

Then, I looked up and saw them. Two large, black, vultures circling the trees, floating on the air currents. They would glide close then drift away, just barely over the treetops. From a distance they looked like hawks. I like hawks. They’re regal, majestic, and proud. But no, as these two came closer I realized that they were vultures. And they were huge.

One in particular seemed to want me to notice how large he was because he dipped very close to where I was sitting so I could get a good look at him. It was then that I realized that the vulture is a lot like the enemy of our souls. Large, black, and loves to eat away at the open wounds of his prey.

That’s what vultures do. They’re scavengers. They prey on anything that is hurt, wounded, dying or dead. And the enemy is the same way. The only difference is that a vulture won’t hurt it’s prey. It waits until it is already hurt (or dead) and then, here it comes. No, the enemy of our soul, when he sees someone basking in God’s glory, will come right up and do his best to knock you off your footing. After he’s done that, he continues to pounce until there’s almost nothing left. And when there’s almost nothing left, he pounces one more time with, “Look at you. Now you’ve done it. God can’t possibly use you in that condition.”

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 5:8, NLT

The enemy would like nothing more than to knock you so low that you never get back up. I know because for years he used many people to knock me down emotionally and mentally. They knocked me down so much that I began to believe that it was my destiny to live a defeated life, letting others dictate what I should do. But God had other plans for me!

Always in the back of my mind I kept hearing, “There is so much more for you. You DO have a purpose, and it is a wonderful purpose!” Yet I did not know how to get out of the seemingly hopeless situation that I was in. I literally did not know how to heal my mind and get back up emotionally.

You may be feeling like that today. Don’t allow the vultures of life peck away at you, keeping your wounds open. Instead, fight back! You can! You do not have to live that way. There is a way out. 

“…In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. ~Jeremiah 29:12-13, NLT

The vultures may be flying around you, but all is not lost! Determine in your mind that you are going to focus on the Lord and He will meet you where you are! The enemy may be prowling, but he cannot win. When you call out to the Lord, He promises that He will listen. He also promises that when you look for Him you will find Him. 

Seek Him out today. Leave the vultures behind and soar with the eagles!