“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a raring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“Not everyone is invited. Meet me in the lobby at 11p.m.” A gorgeous brunette whispered in my ear completely ignoring the other models around me. This mysterious invitation was too intriguing for my inquiring mind. I excused myself and checked the clock. It was only 9 p.m. That gave me plenty of time to get dolled up.
The journey leading up to this moment was exhausting. My heart skipped a beat in anticipation of what to expect. If life presented itself with an opportunity to indulge—I wanted in!
I was in Oahu enjoying the perks of being a Hawaiian Tropic model. After four nail-biting local preliminary contests, I had finally arrived at the final national competition.
Although my trip was technically free, it definitely cost me plenty– in hours at the gym, endless beauty treatments (some of them bordering on torture), shopping excursions for the perfect swimsuits and exhausting fittings for my evening and cocktail wear. After months of preparation, I had finally arrived. After the exhausting flight from Chicago, I was ready to relax and have some fun.
My imagination soared as I searched for the perfect outfit—I remembered the other models that were excluded from the party, and chose the most attention-getting outfit I could find. I was not about to be left in the dust.
When 11 p.m. quickly came, I barely made it to the lobby in time. Like Cinderella at the ball, my footwear almost cost me my trip to the party. Thankfully, the doorman stopped the blue Porsche’ with the familiar brunette inside and I was whisked away as quickly as I arrived.
“So glad you decided to come!” She kissed me on the cheek as if we had known each other for years. This was only our second interaction.
“Thanks for inviting me.” My eyes caught the perky blonde squished in the small space beside me.
“I’m April.” She smiled with an expression that reflected cotton candy. April looked sweet, but there did not seem to be much going on upstairs.
The driver was a man in his early fifties. He had the attire of a club going twenty year old. His grey hair was spiked with so much gel, that it looked as if a porcupine fell asleep on his head. His tan was dark and by the depth of his wrinkles I assumed it was natural, not the kind you spray on. He drove with speed and used the backstreets with ease. He must have been a local. The beautiful brunette fawned all over him, as if she was completely unaware that she was way out of his league.
The music thumped loudly from the speakers, as I became lost in my own thoughts. April seemed lost as well; lost in something other than thinking. The drive took about an hour.
It was midnight, and our car pulled up at a mansion sitting on the edge of a cliff. I thought the uncomfortable sports car was something quite fancy, until I saw the other cars parked all along the edge of the enormous house. The Porsche’ seemed to just blended in now. It did not stand out as anything special like when I first saw it.
We were welcomed at the front door with warm hugs from strange people I had never met before. I hugged them back, not wanting to come across as stiff and rude. Who was I not to hug? I was invited to this exclusive party, was I not? Really, what was a hug anyway? Apparently, it did not meant too much to these folk. They hugged freely; even though it was a little “too free” for my comfort.
My stunning host and her greasy guy seemed to get absorbed by the friendly crowd. The grabbing hands devoured and pulled them out of our sight. This set me free to wander and explore. April clung onto my arm, her eyes wide as saucers, as I hunted for a bathroom.
We crept up the stairs as I started opening doors. I saw things and people in intimate moments that I was not prepared to see. When I discovered a bathroom that was not occupied, I left April to guard the door for me. As I pressed my back against the door, my eye caught a mirror lying flat on the counter. White lines were laid on it just like in the movie Scarface. This party was a serious one.
As the night progressed, the beautiful crowd slowly started to turn ugly. Eventually, I lost April to Jell-O shots. As I kept my eye on her limp body sprawled out on the couch, I tried hard to keep my eyes and ears open. I stayed sober; desperately clinging to all my senses. It was important that I made it out of this madhouse alive.
Everyone around me started to look like the walking dead. Their eyes were dark, empty, lustful and seething for more…I was not about to be a victim.
1 Peter 5:8 warns us that satan is looking for an opening into our lives. Although I did arrive back safely in my hotel room after this dangerous excursion; I did not come back unscathed. The memory of it will haunt me forever. I saw the war for my mind, my body and my morals being fought over.
Looking back, I wish I would have known then what I know today. God has provided us guidance in this crazy world. The Bible is the guide for life. It is the book that no mother would shun her child from reading, but one that is ironically, rarely picked up.
What are so many people afraid of finding in there? The contents will not harm you, but not reading it, will. Protect yourself from satan’s plan to destroy your life. Find out the good plan God has for you and learn more about how much He loves you. If you don’t read his “love letter”, you will never know.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I have so many regrets. I cannot say that I have no scars. Although they are not visible to the naked eye, you see the wounds I have inflicted upon my own soul, upon my own conscience.
You know the deepest parts of me, and yet you still draw me to know you. Why you love a fool that keeps running away from you and back into your arms when life gets to hard to handle, I will never know.
I am sorry that I use you in ways that I would never use even my worst enemies. I call you my father yet, I rebel every chance I get.
Lord, help me! I don’t want to rebel anymore. I just don’t know any other way of thinking or living. I bow down to you. You can have every part of me—especially the rebellious part. Take it all. I want nothing to do with any of my own self-destruction anymore.
I hold out my hand and ask that you pick me up from the dark place I am in right now. I ask for your forgiveness, and I receive it.
I am ready for something better. In Jesus’ precious name, show me the way; lead me out of the dark into your glorious light. Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s daily devotional.
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan