Sweet Sounds From Heaven

The yard had recently been mowed, just in time for a nice soaking-in rain, which we desperately needed. Leaving for church to meet my prayer group, I noticed a fallen limb in the front yard. Not too big, about 8’ long and about 5” in diameter. I’ll get it and toss it when I return. Our prayer team is always faithful. God meets with us every time. It’s invariably different, and always effective. We just love meeting with HIM and receiving direction and confirmation for things yet to come; fighting the good fight of Faith.

Thursdays are very exciting, and after prayer, I try to accomplish things while in town so I don’t have to make another trip. It’s exciting and exhausting all at the same time. After a short rest on the couch, I arose and went to the window. Glancing toward the fallen limb, there was another fallen limb, not as large, nor as long, but now I have two. Oh No!! The second limb was moving. No time to waste, got to get the gun. I’m thinking that sucker is too big to miss. I don’t like snakes period, especially when they are huge and dangerous. This one was both.

I opted for my 38 which I knew was loaded. Back outside, and careful to stay on the porch, I began shooting toward the reptile. He just kept crawling. My neighbor called inquiring about the commotion. I informed him of the situation and told him if he came to be careful between the two saga palms. Now the reptile is curled up with his egg sized head resting on his 4” diameter body. Is he dead or just playing possum? Do they give up that easily? Did I kill him? Binoculars were grabbed for a closer view. Golly Gee!! He sure looks dead. I must have looked like a moron. Binoculars around my neck, pistol in one hand and phone in the other. How do I get into these messes?

My pistol locked up, Oh Great! I called my other neighbor, the snake man himself. He said he would come, and I’m hoping soon. Back outside and the sucker is stretched out and crawling toward the porch. I had retrieved my 357 and loaded it with 38 bullets. Now I’m shaking, but I‘m thinking, ‘Sandy, focus, scope, aim and shoot!’ It’s now or never. At least this time I hit him, but did that stop him? No, no, he’s determined. I sure needed help. Called for backup. Here they are. With a real close view of his head, I’m saying, “shoot him, shoot him!” My other neighbor is saying, “don’t shoot him, I’ll get him.” Too late!, He’s dead (I hope) and pulled out from underneath my porch.

Wow! That’s a big one, they don’t generally get that big was the comment from the snake man. “He’s healthy.” I asked if he was dead, “Oh yeah, he’s dead.” Now he’s healthy, I’m thinking. No way to equal the excitement of the morning prayer time; however, this event was frantic, which brings me to this specific point.

Sometimes, we think sin is dead in our lives and it raises its ugly head. Sometimes we deceive ourselves which causes confusion in our midst. We live in this fallen world and must deal with the consequences of Adam’s transgression. We have to kick sin out or sin will take us out. We are in a war ~ not just with the reptile, which is symbolic of the devil; but good and evil are clashing stronger than ever before. Things are shifting, sides are being clearly and distinctly etched and the line is being drawn in the sand. Just like that snake curled up and played dead, sin hides and acts innocent. We must push through the pain to the liberating truth. No face masks allowed. We must be transformed by the washing of the water by the Word. We cannot allow pride to hide.

Ephesians 4:17 -24 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless, and have abandoned themselves (to prey) to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every from of impurity that their depraved desires may suggest and demand. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Notice that the understood subject in the previous verses is “you.” You have something to do with what God wants to get out of your life and into your life. We can’t do anything without HIM, Good news ~ we are not without HIM!!! Even as that snake was preparing to shed his skin due to growth, we must shed baggage in our lives in order to make room for the new things God wants to bring to us. It is definitely a time of transition for the entire body of Christ. The things that people have relied upon are no long stable ~ never were. Christ is the only Rock-Solid foundation which is durable, and we must prepare ourselves a sanctuary for His dwelling.

Matthew 9:16, 17 And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse rent is made. Neither is new wine put in old wineskins, for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins ruined; but new wine is put into fresh wine skins, and so both are preserved. St. John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease ~ He must grow more prominent, I must grow less so.

Sounds like a model for success to me. It’s a process, however. The blueprint has been handed to us. If we will just connect the dots, things will come into full maturity. It’s that ‘shrinking’ that is difficult.

Genesis 1: 26-27 And God said. let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Any way you look at it, we were created to dominate. Me? I need shootin’ lessons! I have great tools, but need instructions in their use. We have been given exceedingly great and precious promises; we do need to put into practice what we know and keep seeking after truth, learning and growing in Grace. Don’t get discouraged, call for backup! God’s got us covered. It’s time to get excited about the new things God wants to do, and He wants to do them through you.

Filed under: True God Stories