Be sober, be vigilant

Years ago, in a church we once attended, was a couple who loved the Lord and His people dearly. He was a deacon in the church, a true servant. She was one of the most hospitable people I knew. Many were the hours of true Christian fellowship we spent with them. We lost touch with them after we moved, but I have always remembered them fondly.

Recently I was shocked and saddened to learn that, some time ago, this wife gave up 20 or so years of marriage and left her husband. I could not have imagined a more impossible thing. I have no idea what happened, but two verses came to mind.

One is found in Titus 2. The list of all that men and women, young and old, ought to be ends with this admonition: "...that the word of God be not blasphemed." When our homes are not operating according to the Scripture, we give the unbelieving world cause to blaspheme God's Holy word. They call us hypocrites, and rightly so.

The other verse is this: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). I don't know what this woman's point of departure was, but there came a point when she ceased to be vigilant. Her adversary, who was already stalking her, seized this opportunity and devoured her. From what I hear, she is far from happy in her chosen lifestyle.

My prayer is that God will deal in mercy with this woman. But she will never be able to gain back what she threw away: her husband belongs to another woman now.

Oh, my fellow sisters in Christ! Let us be sober. Let us be vigilant. Let us not blaspheme His Word by failing to be what we should be in our hearts, in our homes, in our churches, in our world.