Unshackled Moments ~ September 3, 2018 ~ The Only Good Snake

is a dead snake. That's how a lot of people feel anyway, right? Those who know me know that while  I do not like venomous snakes in my yard, I appreciate the beauty and purpose in God's creation for snakes and other creepy crawlies. So it probably wouldn't surprise any of my family or friends to learn that last Friday when I opened one of the chicken pens while feeding to discover a huge Texas Rat snake, also known in East Texas as a chicken snake, I  chose to relocate it rather than kill it.

I carefully caught it behind the head and lifted it out of the egg box it had camped out in. It was a big snake, four foot seven inches according to the tape (I was curious), and I fully realize that most people, even some who appreciate snakes but want to protect their chickens and eggs, would have made it a dead snake. I chose to save it. I intended it no harm, but of course the snake didn't know that. It tried to bite me. I have experience handling snakes, so I was in no danger of being bitten, but it tried. I thought, "you silly snake, most people would've already killed you. I'm saving you."

That's when it hits me. I am all too often like this snake, only I should know better. I'm going along, doing my own thing, living according to my own nature, and place myself in a position of danger and death. Apart from God's grace, justice would demand punishment and declare that I am a nuisance at best and a danger to others at worse. This is true of all of us. We are selfish and when we live for ourselves we harm others and are a threat. Maybe not to everyone, but to enough. God, who is just could easily respond like  many of us do with snakes. The only truly good person that can't harm anyone else is a dead man. But He didn't choose to punish us all. He doesn't want to punish or harm us. He wants to save us. He desires that so much that He reached down for us and made it possible for us to have life. And in response, we strike at the hand that saves us. We flee from His love and care, not realizing that He is our only chance for life. Today, let us not strike at Daddy or flee from Him as He tries to move us from death to life, but rather let us submit to His love and care, for He truly cares for us.



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