Alligator knocks on Fla. woman's door

Associated Press

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - So now the alligators are going door to door. When Lori Pachelli heard someone knocking at the door of her home in a gated community in this southwest Florida community earlier this week, she looked out to see an unwelcome visitor on her front stoop: an 8-foot alligator.

The bull gator, which had wandered up from the pond behind the house, had a bloody lip from banging its head against the door.

"He was pretty big, pretty aggressive," Pachelli said, adding that the gator may have followed her home from walking her cocker spaniel, Trooper.

Pachelli's husband, Mike, said he sped home after his wife called him in hysterics. The animal remained at the Pachellis' door for about an hour before going back into the lake, where trapper John French captured it later.

French said it's not unusual to find male alligators in some pretty interesting places this time of year.

"You're starting into what's called the crawl season, the breeding season," he said. "We get them out of front porches, out of garages, out of swimming pools."

The Pachellis said they never dreamed an alligator would venture that close to the house.

"I've never seen them walking around (the neighborhood), let alone banging on my front door," Lori Pachelli said.

photo courtesy images.google.com & story courtesy AP, 03/27/06

TAKE A LOOK

Revelation 3:16-20 - (NLT)

¹⁶But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! ¹⁷You say, `I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. ¹⁸I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. ¹⁹I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.
²⁰"Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.

ACCORDING TO TODAY'S SCRIPTURE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT CHRIST "KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR"?

We find the answer in Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes:

3:20 The Laodicean church was complacent and rich. They felt self-satisfied, but they didn't have Christ's presence among them. Christ knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they didn't notice that he was trying to enter. The pleasures of this world - money, security, material possessions - can be dangerous, because their temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God's offer of lasting satisfaction. If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life. Leave the door of your heart constantly open to God, and you won't need to worry about hearing his knock. Letting him in is your only hope for lasting fulfillment.

When we keep the door of our souls open to the presence of Christ we will be satisfied beyond belief. When the world knocks on our door, slam it shut and say "See you later alligator! You can't stay even for awhile, crocodile."

TALK ABOUT IT

Thank God for the creative way He tells us His Story in His Word. Confess any way in which you may be living like the lukewarm church in Revelation 3. Thank Jesus for His forgiveness and for His relentless love which keeps Him knocking on our door even when we often shut Him out of our lives. Ask Jesus to give you the faith you need to find your satisfaction in Him and Him alone.

TRY IT

Start every day by thanking Jesus for His presence in your life. Ask Him for the power to find your satisfaction in Him alone.
This week, whenever you hear a knock at a door, let it remind you to evaluate whether or not you are living in Christ's presence?
Rent an alligator and go knock on a friend's door, or on a door of one of your school classrooms, or on the door of your boss.....on second thought, maybe not. But you could share this Devo with a friend or your youth group or your small group.

ABOUT IT

DAILY DEVOS is brought to you by Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.

Byron Emmert Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG. Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college. He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.