Resisting Predators

As Amalia's youth group started on a nature hike, Pastor Jim pointed out wildflowers and various animals. After hiking a short time, Amalia gasped. "Is that a snake?" she asked, looking up at a tree. "I didn't know they could climb!""That kind can," said Pastor Jim. "I think it's headed for that hole up there." He pointed to a hole higher up the tree. "That's a woodpecker's nest." The kids watched as the snake moved closer and closer to the hole. When it got quite near, it began to squirm. Then, to their surprise, it began to retreat down the tree. "It's leaving," said Amalia. "Why is that?""That hole is a red-cockaded woodpecker's nest," Pastor Jim explained. "They make nests in pine trees that have a thick sap that comes out around the woodpecker's hole. The snake doesn't like that sap on its skin, so it leaves.""We should leave too," declared Amalia, "before that snake gets down here!" After the hike, Pastor Jim gathered the kids for a short devotional time. "Seeing that woodpecker's nest made me think of a Bible verse," he said. "Red-cockaded woodpeckers resist predators by making nests in pine trees with sticky sap. It made the snake flee from the bird's nest. Like the snake, Satan is a predator--he tries to get us to believe his lies so we'll turn to sin instead of trusting God. Yet the Bible says if we resist the devil, he'll flee too. But how do we do that?""Well, we had lessons about the armor of God," said one of the boys. "So things like prayer and remembering that we belong to Jesus would be a way to resist him, right?" Pastor Jim nodded."When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He turned to the truth of God's Word," said Amalia. "Knowing what God says in the Bible helps us resist Satan's lies." "Yes, all those things are important," said Pastor Jim. "Those birds build their nests on the west side of trees so the afternoon sun shines on the sap and keeps it fresh and moist, ready for the enemy. And prayer and studying God's Word keeps us fresh and ready to resist the devil by reminding us that Jesus has freed us from Satan's power and gives us victory over sin."–Sara L. Nelson