Guess Who's Working Real Hard?

[S] John 10:1 --
 ¹"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

[O] This familiar passage about distinguishing the good from the false "hired" shepherd shed a new light for me today.  It is obvious for the good shepherd to work hard to keep his sheep protected and cared for, but wouldn't you know it that the false shepherd or the thieves work very hard also?  In order to climb up into the sheep pen, they not only have to physically do the climbing but also have to make sure they don't get caught.  This reminded me that our spiritual enemy works very hard also to lure us away from following God closely and so I should be complacent about following God because there is a force working real hard to distract me from doing just that.

[A] Don't take following God lightly.  It requires discipline and discernment to know the thieves working hard to steal my heart away from God.  So, take spiritual inventory frequently to make sure I'm not derailed from being God's pathway.

[P] Dear God, please allow me to see the enemy's schemes well in advance and not fall for its traps.  I want to not lose sight of my Good Shepherd's voice so I may stay close to Him.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.