Summers were always hot, and people, especially the children, looked for ways to cool off. Born and raised in the southern part of the United States, I remember swimming in lakes and rivers and splashing in streams from a young age.

In the streams we would turn over rocks looking for crawdads or crayfish. In the rivers, we would look for fish happily swimming or turtles sunbathing on rocks.

The lake, though, was a different story. I remember my toes getting nibbled on by a pretty little fish called bluegill. The nibbles tickle more than hurt. The lakes were also home to other critters that were not as friendly. That is why my parents always told me to watch where I was swimming. Visibility in the lakes only went down a few feet before the waters became murky, and we could not see anything.

In the lake closest to where I grew up, I remember seeing snakes often. Most were non-venomous, but watch out for the copperheads and rattlesnakes! If you have ever heard that those two snakes do not swim, I can assure you that they are very good swimmers.

Why am I sharing this part of my childhood? I always knew there were critters in the water, but that was all they were: critters God made at the beginning of time (granted, they are much less friendly now). But while spending time with some of my projects in Southeast Asia, I was able to experience one of the top 10 rivers in the world, the Mekong. I wondered what critters might be found lurking in its murky waters, but I never saw anything alive. Yet, depending on where you visit, you will find that many people believe one or more gods reside in these waters, including serpent gods. I wondered if people stayed out of the river because of these gods. Come to find out, swimming in the river is a delightful pastime for everyone. 

I cannot help but think of all that is going on that we cannot see. In 1 Peter 5:8, we read that the devil is wandering around like a lion, seeking to destroy. Satan is very subtle, lurking in the murky waters, but very much present and waiting to attack. Just as God has protected me from snakes, He desires to protect us from Satan, the serpent, as well.

We know that this serpent, the devil, has been defeated. Please continue to pray for those who live in darkness, not knowing the true Light—people who believe that the serpent, or any other monster, is the god whom they are to worship.

• Twitter