“What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'” – Mark 13:37

On Christmas Day 1776, Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall was the commanding officer of the Hessian troops in Trenton, New Jersey. Allied with the British against the colonies, the German Hessian army in Trenton numbered 1,000 soldiers. Up to this time, the American rebels had shown themselves to be undisciplined in battle during the Revolution and had not won a single battle. The Americans were deserting and lacked ammunition, food and other provisions. Colonel Rall decided to allow his troops to enjoy Christmas and most of them drank too much during the festivities. The weather was very cold and there was sleet, hail, and ice. The Delaware River was frozen in many places. Rall thought the Continental Army was too weak to mount an attack from Pennsylvania. But Rall was wrong. That very night, General Washington took 500 men in three boats across the Delaware River. At 4 a.m. they marched on the garrison at Trenton. The asleep and dazed Hessian Army never knew what overpowered them. Within 35 minutes the Battle of Trenton was over. The Continental Army used surprise as their greatest weapon to capture Trenton.

Satan is a wounded and defeated enemy, but He is still powerful enough to surprise the strongest of Christians. Today in prayer, remember to keep up your guard in the Lord and to keep watch this day.

“When we have God’s Word pure and clear, then we think ourselves all right; we become negligent, and repose in a vain security; we no longer pay due heed, thinking it will always so remain; we do not watch and pray against the devil, who is ready to tear the divine Word out of our hearts.” – Martin Luther

God’s Word: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” – Matthew 24:42

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2002, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN MARK pkennedy@devotional.com