Hello friends,

If you've been following along, you already know I'm trying to write a song every week. And let me just say — this is not a small task. I may be losing a little sleep over it, but I'm honestly very excited. There's something special about digging into Scripture and letting it shape a song.

This week's song is based on 1 Peter 5:8–9. It says:

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering."

I have to admit — this one was particularly difficult for me. While I was researching and studying for this song, I kept going on bunny trails. I'd start in one verse and suddenly I was cross-referencing three others. So I'll try to keep this somewhat short.

What Does "Sober-Minded" Really Mean?

Different translations phrase it differently. The NASB says "sober spirit." The CSB and ESV say "sober-minded." The NIV uses "self-controlled." That made me pause. What exactly does "sober-minded" mean in the biblical sense?

A quick search explained it this way: having a mind that is not intoxicated by the world's influences.

That really stood out to me.

If you look back at 1 Peter 1:13, Peter says to prepare your minds for action and be sober-minded. Then he tells believers not to be conformed to the passions of their former ignorance. That connects beautifully with Romans 12:2, which says not to conform to this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

There's a theme here: don't let your thinking be shaped by the world. Don't let your mind become intoxicated by temporary things. Instead, pursue holiness.

Peter even says, "Be holy, for I am holy." That's not a casual suggestion. It's a calling.

The Roaring Lion

So when we come back to our main passage — "Be alert and of sober mind" — it's not just about staying awake. It's about spiritual clarity. It's about living with awareness that we have an enemy.

Peter doesn't sugarcoat it. He says your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. That's intense imagery. A lion doesn't wander aimlessly. It hunts. It watches. It waits.

And what are we told to do?

Resist him. Stand firm in the faith.

The Irony of Peter's Journey

Now here's something that struck me as a little ironic — and honestly, kind of powerful.

This is the same Peter who once rebuked Jesus when Jesus spoke about His coming suffering. And Jesus responded, "Get behind me, Satan. You're not thinking about God's concerns, but human concerns."

Peter, at one point, was focused on human thinking instead of God's purposes. And now here he is, later in life, telling the church to resist the devil and stand firm.

That gives me hope.

Peter learned. He grew. He understood the difference between human concerns and God's concerns. And now he's urging believers to stay alert and not fall into the same trap.

We're called to think differently. To live differently. To be holy in all our conduct.

A Comforting Reminder

And then there's this comforting reminder at the end: the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering. We're not alone in this struggle. There's a global body of believers standing firm together.

So as I worked on this week's song, that became the heartbeat of it:

- Be alert.- Don't let your mind be shaped by the world.- Resist the enemy.- Stand firm in the faith.- Be holy as He is holy.

Friends, thank you for walking through this with me. I'd love to know your thoughts. And truly, let me know how I can pray for you.

Until next time — stay alert, stay grounded in truth, and God bless.