7 Dec, 2010

Surprise Attack!

Pearl Harbor Day

Today is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Perhaps you’ve seen scenes from Hollywood’s realistic version of the event, where airplanes appear in the sky while kids are playing outside, women are hanging laundry on the lines, and others are caught up in the events of their own lives.  It started before 8 a.m. when many people were still sleeping.  No one saw it coming.  But no matter what they were doing at the time, they all become aware very quickly of what was going on -- they were under a surprise attack! 
 
The US knew that Japanese ships were close, but the attack still came as a total shock to the American people.  A dozen ships sank and 402 aircraft -- that were mostly still on the ground -- were either destroyed or damaged.  More than 2,400 American military personnel died, and over 1,200 were wounded.   
 

1 Peter 5:8 (The Message)
“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up.”
What does God’s Story scripture teach us about surprise attacks?
We know that the devil is active in this world, and he wants nothing more than to catch us off guard and make us feel like we are losing the battle with sin.  Peter is urging us to be on our guard and keep our defense up.  The best way to do that is to be in God’s Word regularly, be in prayer about what’s going on in our lives, and be aware that our lives are a battle ground between good and evil.
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture to my life?
Are you feeling “under attack” from the enemy?  Is there an area of your life that you feel like he is in position to pounce on?  Is your Bible just sitting around and not in use, like the US aircraft and ships were at Pearl Harbor?  Or do you have God’s Word in your mind and your heart so that you are ready to defend yourself when the attack comes?  Be alert, take time to pray, memorize scripture.
 
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture and my story to others?
  • Pearl Harbor Day is a national day of remembrance.  When Pearl Harbor comes up in class or conversation, share this illustration so others will see how the Bible is relevant to history and current events.
  • Do you have a friend experiencing the enemy’s attacks?  Share with them how you use God’s Word to defend yourself against the devil’s schemes and encourage them to do the same.
Comments

Ornament

The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.