A Greater Terror

Ten-thirty at night. We just pulled in to the driveway of our son’s home in a quiet residential area. Well, that’s what we thought. A police car pulled up right behind us. We went to his car to assure him we were visiting. He surprised us by saying they had just had a report of an intruder who had accosted a twelve-year-old girl who was home alone. She screamed and he fled so she was not harmed. He asked us to report any suspicious persons in the neighborhood. It was not the first situation in the past week.

We were travelling with another son and his wife hurried the children into the house. It kept us on edge all week concerned about the kids playing outside even during daylight.

Welcome to the real world, right? On an international scale, terrorism has a grip on this world. It seems that not a day goes by without something in the news about another killing, bombing, or attempt of some kind of terror by one group or another. People live in fear of leaving their homes to go about a normal life. We must all be on guard for suspicious activities. That’s why it’s called terrorism.

Another threat of terrorism is that there is the danger of becoming complacent. We hear of threats and our government sets a different color code to try to emphasize how much of a threat there is. They are trying to convince us that the threat is real. There is a constant reminder of what terrorists have done in the past and have the capability of doing again. But we become used to that and many don’t pay much attention to it.

God doesn’t have a color-coded system that changes to tell of different levels of danger from Satan. That threat is real and has been the same since the Garden of Eden. The threat level is always at the highest warning. He is the conceiver of sin and the father of lies and brings death to all who let their guard down.

There is another terror that stalks our world. First Peter 5:8 says, “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.”

I don’t know about you but if I knew there was a lion sneaking around my neighborhood, I would take it seriously.

There is a greater terror than radical militant organizations or prowlers. There is a greater terror than a hungry lion stalking me. Don’t underestimate this enemy. He is more of a threat than anything else in this world.

Yet, there is an even greater terror than Satan. God has power over that evil one. James says the demons tremble at their knowledge of God. And Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall in to the hands of the living God.” Paul sums it up in 2 Corinthians 5:11, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;…”

Terrorism threatens our society; even our very lives. Satan is a terrorist whose evil threatens our very soul. God, however, is a terror to Satan’s evil. God is protector of those who follow Him. That’s what His word tells us in 1 Peter 3:12-15, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good? But and if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are you: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

See you when the saints meet, Lord willing.

Love, Tony