SNAKE HANDLING

The recent demise of the "Crocodile Hunter" reinforced the Mind's belief that one should not play touchy-feely with dangerous creatures no matter how carefully we approach them. Wild animals are by their very nature unpredictable, and, as Mr. Croc discovered too late, the best way to approach a lethal stingray is via submarine.

This tragedy reminds me of Moses' serpent experience in Exodus 4. In this case however, the serpent originated as a staff that Moses used in his shepherding duties. When YAHWEH turned it into a snake, Moses reacted like most of us would - HE RAN! As a shepherd he had seen snakes, and apparently this one was poisonous - at any rate he didn't wait to find out. But God told him to grab it by the tail. I can hear Moses thinking, "You want me to do WHAT?" But Moses obeyed, and the fearsome serpent changed back into a staff.

You may be wondering where I am going with this (or not!). A wooden staff doesn't command our attention, but a live snake is another story altogether. Sometimes God takes us out of our safe and familiar circumstances - our staff, so to speak - in order to get our attention. Our first inclination is to run away from and not toward our trials, i.e., Jonah. But it may be the thing that God calls us to do in order to strengthen our trust in Him. Now I don't make a habit of grabbing my circumstantial "snakes" by their tails, but if God told me to do it, I'd like to think that I'd be "foolish" enough to obey Him. If your "staff" has turned into a "snake," just remember that God can turn the "snake" back into a "staff." May we be as Job - "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."