Today's news, via ABC: "All of a sudden, we realized something was wrong," Hussey said. "We even on the boardwalk could see that it was a shark." The animal snapped at Royston's leash - a cord every surfer wears around his ankle to tie him to his board. Royston was pulled underwater and his surf board went straight up in the air, perpendicular to the water. "Somehow, I don't know how, he had the presence of mind to take off his leash," Hussey said. "He got away, and the shark was tangled up in the leash."
Ok, so here's this kid in the middle of some surfing competition and shortly after the Discovery Channel airs Shark Week - whamo, a bull shark pulls him off his board and underwater. This Hussey person that ABC quoted is saying that this wasn't an attack but an encounter...claiming that if the shark had wanted to attack, the outcome would have been different. Perhaps Hussey is correct, although the insinuation that the shark got caught up in the leash kind of screams attack to me. I am quite thankful that the shark was unsuccessful in his/her desire for destruction, but I'd call it an attack anyway.
As I was reading this article I was thinking, "How many times does the enemy attempt to attack us, to pull us off our boards and try to drown us?" When I think about it that way I definitely would label this an attack. I have to consider the armor of God that we are to put on everyday and then I wonder if this kid had that kind of armor on him or if his angel that sees God's face (Matthew 18:10) just took care of him? Regardless, we need to be keenly aware of the enemy's frequent attacks, or encounters. He's always looking for ways to take us down, to destroy us.
How many times has he succeeded? How many times has he grabbed the leash that holds you to your Faith and shook it so hard that you lost your balance and slammed into the oceanic current of sin? How many times has he sunk his razor sharp teeth into your resolve to turn away from evil, your conviction to leave a bad relationship or give up an addiction? How many times has that bull shark enemy defeated you? Finally, I have to ask you, why? If you serve the God of the universe, the King of Kings, there is absolutely no reason that the enemy's encounters need to be attacks. Pray that if he manages to get you off your board you'll have the presence of mind to get out of the water leaving him to get tangled up in his own mess.
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