I was preparing for my next trip. According to the weather forecast some days in the place that I go gonna be rain. I was at the mall at my favorite brand for trekking, hiking, any outdoor activities. I fell in love with this beautiful raincoat also can be use as a wind breaker. Light, many pockets outside and inside, with a belt so it’s very fashionable. They have two color creme and red. Without thinking twice I choose red. My idea was, it will be look great in the pictures instead of creme. It will make the photos bright and colorful. I was very happy and proud with the purchase and they have a special discount too, what more that I can asked.
We landed safely in this country. Four of us, my brother, his wife and their son Joash 9 years old. My brother lives in the mountain, they hiked and biked a lot. So Joash was a strong boy. This trip we are going to walk for days from mountain to mountain. I prepared myself too, a month before I did treadmill beside up and down stairs every morning and evening. I lived in the city, can’t bike safely too many traffics. We are more than ready for this adventure.
We were moving between small towns, villages, I have no idea how many villages and mountains we passed through, days was very hot. My precious raincoat no where to be seen, at the bottom of my backpack.
Every night we fast asleep, bed was heaven, I didn’t bother to kill any insects crawling in the bathroom or in the room. They were quite friendly actually but of course I preferred they were not there.
We woke up early as usual, breakfast always yummy…love their local food. They used herbs that gives sharp smell, the taste much better than the smell.
A young man with creme shirt and pant came to meet us. Dano was our jungle guide. His skin was dark, I guest he must be under the sun so much. I can see he is smart and know his jungle well. Here we were under the morning sun walking again. Everywhere were green, grass were high, trees were bigs. We reached a small riverbank, Dano pull aside a small canoe, he told me to go in to the front side and sit, the rest followed behind me. It was really a small canoe, you just sit on the wood in it. My left and right side was the edge of the canoe, no extra space. You just sit and don’t move. I called Dano before he rows, “Wait!….Wait! I want to make photos,” he laughed.
What a beautiful weather, winds helped to reduce the heat. The river was brown color at the beginning then slowly became clear water. I asked, ”How long we’ll be in this canoe?” I don’t really like it somehow, we can’t move, sit still was the best, the canoe was easily turned when we moved.
Then Dano points to something far…far…, “Look! Wild elephants!” I took out my sunglasses tried to see better. Yes, I can see. Two elephants extremely far, looked very small at the right side of the river. Joash asked, “Are they okay?” “Yes, as long as we don’t disturb them,” Dano gives us assurance.
We continue our sail. Then another canoe coming from other direction passed by us. The man spoke to Dano in their local dialect. Spoke back and forth.“What’s happening?” We all wondering. He explained that the man in that canoe told him about the two wild elephants. We are going to that direction.
And suddenly Dano row to the left side of riverbank. He said, “Quickly! Get out and climb up!” His voice and his eyes made us worried. What actually happened? I was at the front, I get out first and tried to climb. We just shored unplanned and from the water surface to the ground was high, higher than me….no stones to step into….no trees to hold unto.
Out of the blue, rain was falling, not drizzling but heavy rain. I used my fingers to grip soil and climb as fast as possible, my brother push me. Once I on the ground I pull Joash, my sister in law. Dano was unbelievable he climbed like an animal so fast. He helped my brother.
He told us…..to run as fast as possible because of the elephants. The elephants still very far, they looked very small in our eyes. Dano said…. “They can run faster than us and will catch after us in minutes.” These were wild elephants, they are dangerous. Later on I know that an elephant could run at 5 meters per second, 11,2 miles per hour. That’s fast!
Before we run we took out our raincoat, me too…my red raincoat, finally I got a chance to wear it. We acted very fast. Dano eyes changed like an animal, very sharp, very alert. He kept looking to the elephants at the other side of the river to watch every move. The elephants still very far.
When he Dano looked at my raincoat, “Do you have other raincoat?” His voice worried. Of course that’s the only one I have. “Why?” “The color will attract the elephants and other wild animals.” Absolutely, why I never thought of it at all? I should know better. What to do? What can I do now? I know….pray. I didn’t take out my red raincoat, rain cats and dogs.
We run behind Dano, run through the jungle, mud. Sometimes we can’t see him because of the leaves, branches blocked our path. Every few minutes Dano stop, his eyes looked at the river toward the elephants, observing where were their position. We keep running, we saw some animals running too, some on the trees, there were snake. I didn’t have time to think. RUN!!! Especially my red raincoat attract wild animals. I didn’t know how long we run…we stepped into puddles, some were quite deep.
We reached of amazing forest. Big trees with many kinds of orchids growing at their trunks and branches. I saw orchid flowers too. I can’t stop to pose with my red raincoat…lol
Finally, Dano said, “We are safe.” His voice and his eyes back to normal, friendly and warm.
Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus. Joash was incredibly good boy….he run as fast as us, no complaint, not crying. He said to his dad, ”What an adventure, daddy,” he laughed with joy.
That evening we sat toward sunset, beautiful sky after rain. We drank local tea and my favorite snacks. We talked what we experienced that day. Olive with red raincoat run from the elephants. Hahahhhaa run and not looking back…
Yes that’s what we should do with temptation. Remember Joseph story with Potiphar’s wife? The temptation to sleep with his master’s wife ? The scripture said, Potiphar’s wife spoke day by day to him and Joseph did not heed her. And Joseph FLED and ran outs. During Joseph time, the law, The 10 commandments weren’t given yet. But Joseph was exceptional, he made a choice because of His relationship with God. He made a choice to live righteous and run from temptation. He called sexual sin that Potiphar’s wife proposed was great wickedness and sin against God. (Genesis 39:8,9,10,12 NKJV)
The book of Job also have an interesting story. God called; Job was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.” ( Job 31:1 NIV) Job turned his eyes from temptation, he SHUNNED.
There are times when temptation targeting us but there are times we make ourselves as the target for temptation, we invited temptation knowingly or out of ignorance. Like when I was wearing the red raincoat, I could invited unnecessary danger to myself. I can’t blame the raincoat brand for making a red color, I can’t sue them. They are innocent, I was the one who used it at the wrong place.
When you are tempted don’t ever say, “God is tempting me,” for God is incapable of being tempted by evil and he is never the source of temptation. Instead it is each person’s own desires and thoughts that drag them into evil and lure them away into darkness. (James 1:13-14 TPT)
When face with temptation, it’s wise not to think I am invincible, I am immune. No you are not. So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will turn and run away from you. (James 4:7 TPT)
The way Joseph resist temptation was by fled. The way Job resist temptation was by shunned. The way Jesus resist the temptation was by declaring the written word of God, the scriptures…He said “It is written.” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:11 NKJV)
There is one verse I like from Genesis 4:7b TPT: “…. But if you refuse to offer what is right sin, the predator, is crouching in wait outside the door of your heart. It desires to have you, yet you must be its master.”
In Jesus’s name, by His blood, by His resurrection power, He won. His victory is mine and yours too.
From my heart 2 ur heart 