Daily Devotional – 9/26/18 “Are you on guard?”

Just when I thought my bout with migraines was over, only to be hit with one yesterday that had me down for the count. I mean, it came out of nowhere, like they typically do. Yet, here I am today typing a devotional. I still have a slight headache but I am here, in my right mind and blessed because I woke up in my bed and not in the hospital. I am grateful because oftentimes I am reminded things could be worse, much worse and while I could turn this into a “the devil meant it for my bad,” kind of devotionals, I will not. Sickness happens. Migraines happens. Bad days happens and many times, we cannot predict them or control them. What I will share is, sometimes we let our guards down before the battle is over. See, I have not had a migraine in months. Sure, I have had sinus issues but no migraine. Vertigo but no migraine so I got comfortable and let my guard down and baby, did I pay for it. As I thought about it, this is, sometimes, how some of us are with the enemy. We let our guard down when it seems like he is no longer punching and kicking. We let our guard down when it looks like we are in the end stretch and winning the game. We let our guard down when it looks like all is well when the bible shares in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

The enemy never leaves us alone; although he may get quiet, he is not gone. I know somebody is thinking, you cannot predict a migraine let alone an attack but I never said anything about predicting when it would happen. I said, be on guard for when it happens. See, had I been on guard I would have had migraine meds in my purse when my vision started to blur and my head begin to hurt. However, because I let my guard down, I did not have what I needed and by the time I got to my weapon(s) (at home), the migraine was at full capacity and kicking my butt. Are you following me? I let my guard down and did not have what I needed, within reach that could help me fight off an attack. I let my guard down and it knocked me down. I let my guard down and it wounded me. So let me ask you, do you have what you need or is your guard down too? Could you handle an attack, right now or is your battle gear packed up? Can you go toe to toe, at this moment or would you be down for the count? Are you on guard or will you be caught slipping? For the bible shares in Luke 21:34-36, “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”