King Of The Sandbar
Some years back I managed a church camp in south-eastern Missouri. It was in August and the heat and humidity drove us to daily dips in the cool stream. When classes ended mid day everyone got their swim suits on.
The stream was shallow out to a sandbar about 15 feet from shore. Past the sandbar the stream was deep and swift. The sandbar was just below the surface. When I stood on it the water was up to my knees. Somebody said, "Let's play king of the sandbar." So we did. I got on the sandbar and groups of the kids would try to knock me over into the deeper part... making a big splash.
If they knocked me over the king had to start all over again.
We'd been skirmishing for about 45 minutes when someone screamed, "Snake! There's a snake in the water!" And they weren't kidding. All the kids dashed madly to shore... terrified of the snake. But I wasn't so fortunate.
I had just regained my position as king of the sandbar and was about 15 feet from safety. I looked to my left and saw the gross creature curling it's scales in the water with just its head above the surface.
We'd been skirmishing for about 45 minutes when someone screamed, "Snake! There's a snake in the water!" And they weren't kidding. All the kids dashed madly to shore... terrified of the snake. But I wasn't so fortunate.
I had just regained my position as king of the sandbar and was about 15 feet from safety. I looked to my left and saw the gross creature curling it's scales in the water with just its head above the surface.
That's when I saw it and realized the danger I was in.
Its head was triangular, its mouth was open and it looked like a giant piece of cotton in its mouth. It was a water moccasin and it was heading downstream between the shore and me on the sandbar. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest I had never seen a venomous snake. And this one was closing the distance between us too quickly.
I prayed that it wouldn't come directly at me and strike me. I felt the Lord telling me to stand absolutely still and trust he'd send the scaly killer past me and on down the stream. And my prayer was heard. To this day I can still see that white cottonmouth and wondered how I had been able to not shake like the scared man I was.
I later learned that the Cottonmouth could sense heat sources and I know the Lord's Angel kept it from sensing me. Don't try to convince me that our guardian angels don't protect us from water snakes and the great serpent Satan.
The Bible records a great many references to snakes. In fact crafty Satan tricked Eve into disobeying God and introduced sin into the world. For doing so Genesis says:
Its head was triangular, its mouth was open and it looked like a giant piece of cotton in its mouth. It was a water moccasin and it was heading downstream between the shore and me on the sandbar. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest I had never seen a venomous snake. And this one was closing the distance between us too quickly.
I prayed that it wouldn't come directly at me and strike me. I felt the Lord telling me to stand absolutely still and trust he'd send the scaly killer past me and on down the stream. And my prayer was heard. To this day I can still see that white cottonmouth and wondered how I had been able to not shake like the scared man I was.
I later learned that the Cottonmouth could sense heat sources and I know the Lord's Angel kept it from sensing me. Don't try to convince me that our guardian angels don't protect us from water snakes and the great serpent Satan.
The Bible records a great many references to snakes. In fact crafty Satan tricked Eve into disobeying God and introduced sin into the world. For doing so Genesis says:
"So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (Genesis 3:14-15, NIV)
Crawling on his belly from this moment on was physical punishment that all snakes have because of the great serpent Satan. But far greater is the spiritual warfare Satan was forced to battle. In fact he thought he had destroyed the Holy Son of God when he crucified him - the above prophesy predicted, "you will strike his heel. "But when the Lord Jesus came out of the grave the above prophecy says to Satan, "He will crush your head."
Can you picture all of Heaven crying when Jesus was crucified? It makes me cry just to ponder His death. But Thanks be to God ~ the Lord's children have an eternal home thanks to Jesus crushing Satan under His heel.
Ten Thousand Angels Cried
Heritage Singers
Heritage Singers
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