Loving God bless and strengthen this dear reader in all that they may face today. In Jesus' Name, amen.
It was several years ago and our children were all small. Caitlin was still pretty much in Mom's arms most of the time and we finally made a stop at one of the wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast. We had driven by it many times and we decided we would stop and see what God had shared in that particular area. We decided to walk the nature trail and we took it in very gingerly. Towards the end, Nellie wanted to get Caitlin back to the care either for feeding or changing. And when Nellie decides to step it up, she does leaving Dad with the other three in tow, trying our best to keep us. I had warned the little ones about snakes, for the signs said to beware and we walked cautiously. The girls had learned and repeated many times, "Just freeze, Daddy?" Yes, just freeze. We were scared to death as we saw Nellie not caring about where she stepped as she walked on rapidly stepping over a snake that that come out to the trail. She kept walking, the snake froze as did we. The girls were very good about staying frozen and then the snake decided to continue its trip into the wilderness. We thank God that Nellie was not bitten.
I pray that will the only snake tale I tell from experience. I suspect most of us have a morbid fear of snakes and yesterday's OT passage put the fear of God in us! It's the story of Moses' encounter with God's people as they have, once again, grumbled and complained about the food and the journey. Sound familiar? I am presently a very grumpy person as I am on the last full day of the first two weeks of the South Beach Diet. I told the congregation it is called that because it is the same as eating sand or at least that's my perception of the food, though in all fairness, Nellie has done a great job of preparing wonderful diet for us and I just joked about the sand part. But God's people said they were fed up with the food on the journey, calling it in some versions, namely the NRSV, "miserable food"! But their desire to die was met by the presence of snakes that obliged many with that request. They repented and asked Moses to pray for the life they really did love. God's response was for Moses to rise up a poisonous snake on a pole upon which they were to gaze so they could receive life. It was a foretelling of Jesus being lifted up for us to receive life.
May we always look up to the Cross of Jesus and remember that because Jesus was willing to die for us, He gave us life. That's what this whole Lenten Journey is, a reminder of the fullness of life that is yours and mine, not because of what we've done but because of what God did through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Lord of life, grant to me the fullnes of life as I journey today in all that is before me. May my words in every setting, here at home, at work, at play, reflect my firm faith in You. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
