Wise as Serpents. Day 2

            Watch out!  Boy was that close.  You almost sat down by a snake.  Didn't you see him there? No?  Well I wouldn't expect you to.  You know why right... snakes find good hiding places.  And believe it or not we are to do the same.  Wait a minute did I just say that we are supposed to hide?  Aren't we supposed to engage in spiritual warfare and stand firm against the enemy.  Aren't we supposed to go forth and spread the gospel? Aren't we supposed to fight the good fight?  Well yes.  But we are also supposed to hide.

            You see a snake's whole existence is centered around the fact that they find a good hiding spot, they keep out of sight, and they wait.  That's right , they wait for their next meal to wander near them, within reach and then bam! dinner time. 

            We need to find good hiding spots, away from everything else.  A spot where we can wait upon the Lord to renew our strength and provide us with spiritual food.  Jesus told us that when we pray we ought to do it in a closet where no one can see us.  When He prayed He often did it at night, many times throughout the night, on a hill while everyone was sleeping.  Not only does finding a private spot to pray help us fight against pridefully seeking the approval and praise of others, it gives us time to concentrate, to be focused on our time with the Lord. 

            Relative to the prey of the snake, the snake isn't that fast.  It can't out move a field mouse or a rabbit.  It has to find a spot where it can be concealed.  Then it quietly waits for the unsuspecting meal to get just close enough.  It doesn't sound like a very effect means of hunting.  And you're right, it isn't.  This leads to some more spiritual example.  It often takes a long time for the meal to come, just as it often takes along time for the answer to a prayer to come.  But when that meal comes for the snake it is sufficient to sustain the snake for over a week.  And so we learn that when we wait upon the Lord, His answer to our prayer will also be sufficient.

            After the snake has feasted, felt the reward of his patience, he finds another spot to hide and starts all over again.  And so we must do the same.  Always anticipating the answer to prayer.  Every ready to find a private hiding spot where we can "call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall we be saved from our enemies."

            Happy hunting for a place of hiding.

SDG