Our Enemies Plunder Us At Will

This morning, I had an interesting encounter with the Living Word.  I was praying the Office of Readings (a compilation of scriptural passages plus a reading from a church father, saint, or a church document). I was contemplating the turmoil in the world, and some of the issues going on in the Catholic Church and in the lives of some of my friends.   When I read the word “plunder,” something resonated within me. This is typically a signal that God wants to talk.  So, I paused for a moment to give him a chance to speak up.  

You need to understand that hope has been a pretty steady theme in my recent prayer life.  Hope is rooted in a firm belief that God is faithful. It stands firm when the going gets tough.  Hope is more than a wish or the possibility of a windfall. It is a certainty that God is who he claims to be, and he will do everything that needs to be done for a person’s eternal salvation.  More importantly, our God, who lives out side of space and time, has already done everything that needs to be done. Those of us still living in time and space have to wait to see the fullness of his victory, but it is finished, and we can trust in him. 

When I paused in my prayer this morning, I saw an image of the Devil.  He had just plundered a village, and was racing away on a horse. He was exuberant!  He believed he had won a great victory over the village. He turned to look back at the village in order to delight in his victory. The look on his face went from glee to consternation because the villagers were joyfully praising God and preparing to clean up the mess.  They knew that no matter what the Devil did, God had already won.  They knew that no matter how many times the Devil came back to plunder, the victory was already won.

Therefore, when you feel like your village has been plundered, and you stand staring at the rubble trying to make sense out of things, stop for a moment and look to where the Devil is racing away on his horse.  Watch as he turns to revel in his victory, and remember not just the battle, but the entire war has already been won. 

In Him,

dw