All to Real

This morning I came across a verse that I didn’t remember hearing before, which really played itself out during my day: “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” --Psalm 119:104

Later in the day I got an e-mail about a friend who has gone down some very wrong paths. It hurt my heart to read about what all has been happening in his life lately; I hate sin! I really, really hate it! It tears people apart and causes so much misery! God, teach me to hate every wrong path…to absolutely abhor sin, detest anything that would separate me from you!

Within the hour of getting the e-mail about my friend, I returned home and found a snake in my house. Yes, a real, live snake! You have got to be kidding me! It was like evidence that Satan is alive and active in the world especially much today!

I really wished there was a guy around to take care of that snake for me, but there wasn’t, so I got down to business…I slid a piece of paper under it and moved it closer to the wall so I could scoop it up. It was wriggling all over the place! With that piece of paper under it and pressing a piece of junk mail on top of it, I tried to secure the snake enough to lift him off of the floor and not loose him on the way upstairs. (Imagine using two utensils to secure a hunk of salad and keep a firm grasp on it as you move the salad out of the bowl and onto your plate…it was like that with the snake.)

But he was too fast! Agh! I let go of the papers and jumped back. I didn’t want him to touch me! Did I mention that I’m afraid of snakes, dogs, and the dark? The piece of junk mail rested partly on top of him…. he slid under it to escape from me.

It crossed my mind that I was considerably larger than the snake and IT was probably afraid of ME. Nevertheless, he nestled himself under the junk mail as if to hid under a rock; but NO! I plunged my flip-flop clad foot onto the piece of junk mail, sandwiching him in! I could tell he was getting angry, so I jumped up and down on that foot a few times until I thought it was safe. (Looking back, I’m really thankful I had shoes on right then.) I stepped back slowly… There was no movement. So ends the story of the snake…

Unfortunately, Satan’s a snake too; and his story isn’t over yet. We know how it ends (Victory for Jesus!), but the middle is pretty horrible sometimes. God reminded me, through my unwanted reptile visitor and the e-mail this morning, not only just how real and active Satan is (It’s not like people just sit around and think, “I’d really like to be tempted today,” …he’s always trying to destroy us!), but also how big God is. Even when lies and fear and sin seem huge and scary (like the snake did), God is in control and can give me perspective. He sees Satan for the pesky little nuisance that he is! As Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” May I always remember how big God is! How able He is to crush sin! To crush Satan!