SNAKE BITTEN

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Numbers 21:4-9

This ends this reading from God’s holy word. Thanks be to God.

Let me tell you a little bit about my day yesterday.

I woke up in Mannheim, Germany, checked out of my hotel (Ramada in Mannheim) and drove back to Frankfurt Airport where I dropped off my rental car and checked in for my flight to Madrid. The flight from Frankfurt was delayed for around 30 minutes which was going to realize hurt me on the Madrid end because I had a connecting flight to catch to Jerez before being picked up and brought to the Naval Base in Rota.

Well, I got to Madrid and, as is typical with this airport (be warned if you ever fly through here), the gate was changed and it wasn’t announced on my incoming flight (they gave me the old gate number). So I dashed across the airport to the new gate and got to my flight on time. Unfortunately, my luggage didn’t because when I got to Rota, my bag was nowhere to be found.

It was then that I started to get into a bad mood. All my stuff was in my suitcase…change of clothes…toiletries…uniforms...etc. I had to visit the Sailors at the detachment Monday and sure hoped I was able to get everything by then. I was feeling sorry for myself in the circumstances and not dealing with the challenge very well. But this wasn’t the end of things. For when I got to my room, I used my bathroom and after flushing, dealt with a toilet that was clogged and overflowing. So I called the central billeting office and they offered to put me in a different room because they wouldn’t be able to have anyone come and take care of things until the next day. I said that would be fine and so I grabbed up all my things, walked to the central billeting, got a key for a new room and then walked back to the building. On my way to the room, I was walking through the grass to save time and while stepping down into this dip, I proceeded to step into a puddle of muck…and it smelled less than pretty. So I stepped into my new room and all was well there. By this time, I was shot and was just ready to settle down.

As I sat down and just reflected on the day, I was convicted on my attitude and how I had allowed the day’s events to steal away the joy the Lord had intended for me. I had allowed Satan to enter in and make me miserable when I should have seen the blessings that I had. The serpent had bitten me and I allowed his venom to infect my spirit.

When I sat down and really turned to the Lord, asking for forgiveness for the way I had allowed myself to feel, He showed me all I should have been thankful for. After all, I had made it to Rota safely…I had a room (many people have no shelter)…I had clothes even if they were the only clothes I had (many people have no clothing)…and I had a washer in my room so I could at least wash the clothes I had on (the same clothes cleaned are as good as wearing something new)…I had a shower with soap and shampoo so it wasn’t like I had no toiletries (just having a shower would be more than many people have)…I could go on but you see my point. Life isn’t always perfect and we should always take the time to just pause and give thanks for the little things…the many ways that the Lord blesses us…ways we too often take for granted.

In today’s scripture, we see Israel once again falling back into their complaining ways. Just a few verses earlier, they had shown a renewed belief and trust in God and He helped them defeat the Arad army. Now they as they journeyed the route around Edom (remember the Edomites refused to let Israel cross through their territory), they began to become impatient "spoke against God and against Moses" saying, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" The people quickly forgot how God had displayed the power to bring water from rock. There hadn’t been a time when He failed to provide for them and yet they still doubted. And although they had food, it wasn’t good enough. They were completely unsatisfied…just as I had been at the end of my travel day to Rota.

Well, the Lord once again heard their complaining and acted in the same way as before, sending judgment in a way that He hoped would cure Israel of their bad sinful habit once and for all. We read where He "sent venomous snakes among them" which "bit the people" and "many Israelites died" It’s not as if the Israelites had traveled in places where there weren’t poisonous snakes around before. The desert was full of them but God had His protection over Israel as they traveled. Israel just took the safety God gave them for granted until that safety was removed.

So we see where the snake-ravaged Israelites quickly turned to Moses pleading, "We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us." Moses obliged them and prayed…and God answered, telling him to "(M)ake a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." Moses complied with God’s command and made a bronze snake, putting it up on a pole. Any Israelite that was bitten could look up toward the bronze snake and they would be saved…receiving life by way of God’s mercy and grace despite their sins. Although snake-bitten, they could always turn to God for His saving grace.

Today, we all find ourselves snake-bitten by that serpent Satan, infected with his venom that poisons our hearts and minds and turns us toward sin. Thank goodness that God has provided us with One to turn to in order to find our salvation. Israel looked to the bronze snake. We look to Jesus who God lifted up…first on the cross…and then into heaven where He sits on His Father’s right hand. Through the crucified and risen Jesus, we find ourselves saved from the sin we contract when the serpent strikes. We need only look to Him, believing and trusting in Him as our personal Savior.

Question: How snake-bitten are you in your life? Are you perishing from the effects of Satan’s venom as it leads you into sin? Are you in need of saving? Or maybe in need of a reminder that the Father has saved you through His Son.

Friends, the bronze snake became a blessing to the snake-bitten, afflicted Israelites, a symbol of God’s grace and mercy. For us, Jesus is our eternal blessing…the antidote for Satan and his venomous strikes…the ultimate gift of God’s grace and mercy…the salvation that will endure for all mankind. Thanks be to God for His Son, now and forever more. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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