Two snakes startled me as I walked through our backyard gate. I looked around with embarrassment to see if anyone had seen me dance and shriek. Each snake slithered off to find safety in the cracks in the foundation of our home located directly below our lovely kitchen. Who wants to come for dinner?
These two garden snakes are harmless and an added value to our garden but I do prefer they not nest in our foundation. Does anyone know a good mason?
They remind me of our real enemy, that ancient serpent, who is called Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. (Rev. 12:9) He prowls around seeking someone to devour and he certainly made a presence in my life recently.
My husband and I had a very heated discussion. The longer we’ve been married, the less often we have these types of conversations. Yet, here we are 27 years into our commitment of marriage in the middle of an all-out discussion. I knew his words were true but in the heat of the moment they were so hard to swallow and stung my pride like a hornet. In that moment I had the following thought about MYSELF: “Who do you think you are? You can’t do ministry if you can’t even be a good wife. Stop doing ministry. Give up on serving the Lord with speaking and teaching. Nobody wants to hear what you have to say.”
It wasn’t the first time I had these specific thoughts. They had become a pattern! Each time I find myself in a situation that exposes my own sinfulness I encounter thoughts to retreat from any type of service or ministry to the Lord.
The snake was attacking my foundation! He was leading me to believe my good works, abilities & acts of righteousness have somehow earned me the right or position to serve Christ! My religious thinking had taken place of biblical truth. God measures me (and my failures) through the blood of Christ. My worth flows through Him!
The last thing the enemy wants is for any of us to pursue what Christ has for us. Serving Christ requires dying to self and pursing Christ’s best for us. I am fully aware; apart from Christ and His grace in my life my works of righteousness will never be enough outside of a grace filled relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. It is only through His work in my life that I have anything to give. My pouring into others can only come through the abundance of what the Lord has already poured into me.
We are instructed to be sober-minded and watchful of our enemy – Satan. (1 Peter 5:8) When I walk in my back garden I am well aware of the presence of snakes, even watchful of them. Even though I may not see them I know they are around. As we go about everyday we must be wise to the presence of our lurking enemy.
Copyright©2016, Gloria Stucky