Tuesday, July 19, 2022 The Foe in the Wilderness

What you see in that photo is a frustrated mosquito. We were up in the lakes during a time of a Great Mosquito Gathering. They had assembled in large numbers and were primarily interested in my blood. I’m one of those people that mosquitos love. My husband’s theory is that my blood is too sweet and that I need to drink bitter ales and unsweetened coffee in order to have the kind of natural immunity that he seems to possess. I told him I would pay real money if someone could develop a kind of fabric that mosquitos couldn’t pierce. In my experience, they bite through socks, jeans, long-sleeved shirts, anything. The amount of mosquito spray I use seems irrelevant to them. It seemed to be my fate to act as mosquito bait.

Then it rained. I put on the new rain suit that Kris insisted on buying for me for the canoe trip, the suit I told him I probably didn’t need. As soon as I donned it, I realized that this wonderful, marvelous suit was perfect for keeping the mosquitos from biting me. It was made of fabric that their devilish stingers couldn’t pierce. Hallelujah! The rain stopped, but I kept the suit on. In fact, I told my husband I’d probably sleep in it. He thought I was joking. I wasn’t, but as it turned out, I didn’t really need it in the tent. But for the rest of our time in the campground, I wore it constantly, even with the hood up to keep them off my neck.

I don’t think mosquitos were part of the Garden of Eden. It’s hard to imagine God putting Adam and Eve in this perfect paradise and then saying, “Oh, just one thing – watch out for the blood-sucking insects! Ta Ta!” No, I think it’s just as my friend Temple once told me, that mosquitos rode into Eden on Satan’s back.

King David wasn’t referring to mosquitos when he wrote about his foes in the psalms, but some of the verses certainly fit the bill for me and my battle with mosquitos.

LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Psalm 3:1

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!
For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication;
The LORD will receive my prayer.
Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled,
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.
Psalm 6:8-10

Yes, what you see in that first photo is not only a frustrated mosquito, but one who is ashamed, who is troubled, and who will turn back. The LORD heard my supplication. Amen!

I’ll probably spray some Repel on this blog post in the morning.