Bird Nerd – Part 2

“and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:27 NIV

As a newly hatched ‘bird nerd’ (see Bird Nerd), I took advice from my sister-in-law concerning the type birdfeeder to buy. “Donna, get the kind where those pesky squirrels can’t eat all the food.”

We’d already been battling squirrels setting up house in our attic, so the last thing I wanted to do was feed the critters.

I watched my favorite shopping channel and ordered a birdfeeder guaranteed to be ‘squirrel-proof.’ When it arrived, I filled it with food, hung it in the tree by the deck, and watched for my first visitor. Within minutes, one had arrived. Can you guess what it was? Yep. A fat, furry squirrel.

He climbed onto the deck railing. There he sat with his fluffy tail twitching, ready to pounce, trying to determine if he could jump from rail to feeder. He decided he couldn’t reach it. He scampered off, and in a few seconds, I saw him working his way through the branches. Sure enough, he stretched out his body and made a swipe with his forepaw.

The top of the birdfeeder has a smooth, plastic dome over it. When the squirrel touched it, it swung back and forth. He saw he couldn’t get a foothold on the thing, and gave up. It worked!

In Bird Nerd, I likened the birdseed to blessings from God. When I saw the squirrel trying to steal food not meant for him, it reminded me of how the devil tries to steal our blessings. The apostle Peter compared the devil, not to a squirrel, but to a lion, ready to pounce. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (I Peter 5:8 NIV)

Satan not only wants to steal your blessings, he’s looking to devour your soul. But just like the dome over my feeder kept the thief at bay, God promises protection for His children. In II Thessalonians 3:3 Paul states, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

I’m sure the squirrel has been back. They don’t give up easily. And the devil is the same way. He will continue to attack. But God has promised us if we submit to Him, when we resist the devil, he will flee from us. (I Peter 5:8) Isn’t that a glorious promise?

Now if only I could figure out how to keep the squirrels out of my attic.

Prayer: Lord, You are so good to me. You not only provide for the salvation of my soul, but also protect and bless me in so many ways. I am grateful. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.