His Time Is Short

In a village in Burma lived an older man, a missionary, that had lovingly come to live among the natives and teach them about God and their need of a Savior. He was teaching about Satan and how he desired for all of them to go to hell, in contrast to Jesus, who came and died for their sins. But they didn’t grasp that this evil was real. They argued that there was plenty of fish in their nets, and that their crops were growing fine…  “Where is this evil?” He urged them that “Satan knows his time is short” and is creating havoc, world-wide, in order to capture the people in the trap of fear rather than in faith. They seemed unconvinced… life was too good.

Soon, guerilla terrorists attacked the village, leaving many dead. The people lamented that they “just want peace,” …but evil came anyways. The teachings of the missionary began to sink in… there is a spiritual war raging that is far greater than your individual lives.

Late one evening the missionary was walking down the hill to his rustic cabin by the river when he heard things breaking inside. He ran and got the village men who arrived with lanterns and machetes. It wasn’t terrorists, but a huge Burmese Python. It had gotten in but couldn’t get back out as the door had shut behind it. So it thrashed and threw its huge body against the old walls. The humble house was destroyed in less than 30 minutes. The natives tried to kill the python but in its strength it kept destroying and dismantling what once protected life. The great beast eventually died and was found under the rubble of its own fury.

In the dark, lantern-lit night the missionary spoke…  “This is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you. Satan knows his time is short and is thrashing out in rebellion against God and against all that is good. You may not want to know this evil, but it knows you! This is the time to trust in God as your Savior and Deliverer.” All 30 men along the embankment that night came to Christ, right there.

Do we see the serpent thrashing? Do we see the destruction all around us? He knows his time is short, but that reminds us as children of God that our Redeemer is near and for those undecided, the day of Salvation is now!

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)