there is a passage in today's readings that gets interpreted different ways by different groups. the bit about snakes not hurting us, and this being a proof that we're really followers of Jesus.
as you're probably aware, the picture above points to one interpretation of this passage. the idea being, let's get some snakes and handle them! if we're really Christians, then they won't hurt us.
while most Christians would disparage this line of thinking, it seems to me that we do another sort of snake handling, many of us. the Bible talks about God protecting us from the evil one... and that we'll overcome. and I think that many of us go looking for that trouble. we read about how God uses suffering in our lives to make us holy... to make us more like Him. and to bring us closer to Him. and some of us then go looking for suffering.
believe me, suffering will find you. living in this world, you don't have to go looking for snakes. trouble will come. that's the nature of trouble. the idea isn't for us to go looking for snakes or suffering or trouble... it's for us to learn how to be ready for when it does come.
when it comes, God will protect us. He will keep us from being harmed by the snakes. and He'll turn our trouble and our suffering into holiness and joy.
God, please get me ready for the trouble that is sure to come.
1 comment:
Excellent analogy of the reads today. My only addition would be that once He sees us through the snakes learn from it and goooking for them again. Learn from it.
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