This weekend my neighbors discovered a snake in their yard. I have never seen a snake outside of a zoo. I felt like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz when she looked down at Toto and said, “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.” Instead in my case, having relocated to Texas from Massachusetts, and having a dog named “Blue” and not Toto. My conversation went like this:
“We are not in Massachusetts anymore Blue…”
I won’t lie to you – I was scared. Turns out it was a rat snake, but to me – a snake is a snake is a snake. And I also had to scratch my head because “snake” is the word I had been hearing a lot about this past week… Usually that indicates Holy Spirit wants me to pay attention.
This past week I read a word from another sister, who mentioned something I did not know – God did not create snakes with vocal cords. Did you know that? All they can do is hiss. So the deception in the Garden of Eden was truly the devil giving voice to an animal that cannot speak. And it made me think again – WHO ARE WE CHOOSING TO LISTEN TO?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:15-16 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
I am learning, living here in beautiful Texas to watch where I step. To walk wisely. Something that I never really had to pay much mind to having grown up near Boston. Living in a big city, most suburbanites (like me) grab their purses, keys, cell phone (and in my case – my planner and my Bible) and head out the door. As soon as we hit the pavement we go into automatic pilot – and are not really paying much mind to our surroundings. We are wrapped up in a mind soliloquy. Thinking our own thoughts as we go about our day. So in moving to Texas, I have had to change my line of thought. At the age of 54 THIS is hard to do… (You know they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? That doesn’t pertain to a Born-Again Christian who has given their heart to Jesus and has totally indicated a willingness for Holy Spirit to change what needs changing…) IT’S HARD!!!
Are YOU treading carefully? Are YOU allowing Holy Spirit to guide YOU? To help you in your life watch where YOU tread? Snakes come not only in the shape of animals – but situations too. If you are not being careful of where you are going you can find yourself walking down a path that God did NOT intend you to walk. BELIEVE ME, I KNOW. I’VE DONE IT.
In fact at one point in my walk – I stupidly and naively walked right through a door I had NO business walking through. Ol’ Slewfoot and his demons study you. Oh yes… And their main goal (as it was with Eve) is to seriously trip you up. Detour you from the path that God has for you. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8:
“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring linon, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
And also in John 10:10:
“The thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and destroy…”
As believers we have GOT to learn to tread carefully. Think as you walk. Pay attention to your surroundings. And I say this not to fill you with fear. But to impart God’s wisdom to you. If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior you need not to be fearful but to be wise because:
“Greater is He that is in you than he that is within the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“God did NOT give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
And lastly – I want to encourage you (as well as myself) with the fact in Luke 10:19:
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy NOTHING will harm you.”
Oh how wonderful to read our map – The Bible and get instruction and guidance and know that we have a Heavenly Father who knows ALL things. Who when we allow Him – directs our path! Tread wisely and READ YOUR WORD. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
So as you go about your day – tread wisely. Look to God for guidance and know that if you are seeking Him first (which is the beginning of wisdom) all ELSE will follow – and He has got you. Walk in wisdom and when ol slewfoot causes “snake like” situations to slither across your path – you will be girded up with the Word of God and will recognize it and either stomp on his head (with shodded up feet as described in Ephesians 6) or Holy Spirit will put His hand on your shoulder and redirect you back on the path God intended you to go. How do I know this? Because He did it for me…. And He’ll do it for you too.
9
0
20