A Standoff with a Snake
One of the first weekends that we stayed at Heise the weather was beautiful and I decided to take a nap by the river. I spread out a blanket on the river bank, laid down and was out like a light. It was so relaxing in the sunshine. I had been asleep for awhile and then I heard a strange noise that woke me up and it turned out to be me….snoring! What a way to impress the neighbors!
After I so rudely woke myself up I sat in my lawn chair and looked out at the beautiful scenery, listening to water and scanning the riverbank. In the corner of my eye I saw something move. Right next to my blanket on the ground was a large water snake! I’m terrified of snakes! I pulled my legs up in my chair and didn’t dare move. I wanted to scream but I had already scared my neighbors with my loud snoring and didn’t need to draw any more attention to myself.
Eventually the snake went far enough away that I could leave my chair and I sprinted to the trailer. Thoughts of that creepy thing next the blanket I was just sleeping on sent shivers down my spine. That would be the last time I napped on the ground by the river. I surprised Tracy as I bolted into the trailer and told him I had just seen a huge snake. He calmly said, “we live by the river, there’s going to be snakes so you better get use to it.”
The next day as we were walking to the golf course we crossed a small bridge and guess what, another snake. Tracy laughed as I hurriedly went across that area to get away as quickly as I could. The following week I was trimming the grass around our trailer and another snake darted out of the tall grass. This time I had a trimmer between me and the snake and I wasn’t afraid to use it! I was beginning to believe what Tracy had told me, I need to get use to snakes or it would be a long season.
We found out that the snake had a small den in the riverbank right by our location and as the river continued to rise each week with the winter runoff, it’s home was also getting flooded and it had to move to higher ground, right by my viewing area.
Each morning I would look all around to find out where Herman was. Yes I named him because he didn’t seem as intimidating with a name. Once I saw him on his favorite rock I would begin my quiet time. Neither one of us was going to give up our mornings by the river so we sat and stared at each other. He would move a bit and then pause. I would read a bit and then pause. Always keeping each other in view and neither of us trusting the other.
Thoughts of Genesis 3:1 came to mind, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the other wild animals the Lord God had made.” I didn’t like his beady little eyes watching me nor did I like his slithering around and the way he was always sticking his tongue out at me. He was crafty, playing mind games and trying to get me to give up my quiet time by the river.
When he would start to get on my nerves I would remind him of Genesis 3: 14 where God cursed the serpent. I realize that this was one little snake but God was giving me another lesson by the river.
There is a real enemy out there that is crafty and wants to make me so uncomfortable that I don’t do what God has called me to do. He watches me, prowls around, looking to devour me. His main goal is to make me ineffective for God and he will use any means he can to accomplish that.
Anytime he can entice or distract me from doing God’s will, he is sitting on the throne of my life and he doesn’t belong there. When I am obedient, regardless of the cost, then I am placing God on the throne of my life where He does belongs.
I was reading in my daily devotional, “Come with me,” by Susan Eller and she wrote, “One day we’ll stand before our Savior. He’ll take us by the hand and show how faithfulness shook Satan from his throne like lightening.” “Come with me – I can’t wait to show you what transpired because of your faithfulness.”
My standoff with the snake was a small example of a greater life lesson. As the summer progressed I saw many more snakes and was occasionally caught off guard by them, but each time I would remember that God is in control and He is on the throne. The bible says to resist the devil and he will flee from you, draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
What the enemy intend to use to discourage me from having my time with God, God used for good and the snake moments turned into God moments. I experienced so many incredible moments in my quite time by the river this summer. Moments of encouragement, teaching, forgiveness, love, direction and comfort. God is so faithful and He rewarded me for being faithful and obedient to Him.
My prayer
Father, I thank you for the snake moments of the season that drew me closer to You. I have Your promise that if I draw near to You, You will draw near to me and by resisting the devil he will flee. Thank you for giving me courage to face my fear and to trust You. You blessed me with so many God moments that I would have missed if I had given in to that fear. You are amazing Lord! And I love you! Amen
Where does my help come from?
James 4: 7-8
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
1 Peter 5:8-11 (The Message)
“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”