I wanted to share with you very quiet and apparently well hidden readers, a most interesting event that occurred this last Sunday. To do this properly, I must give you some background as to how I found myself in the position that produced the results that moved me. As of late, I have found myself moving in the direction of less and less patience and more and more anger toward the apparent gutless wonders we have assembled in the capital of this most excellent Nation. I am perplexed as to the apathy displayed by our plethora of parasitic politicians whose greatest concern seems to be whether to choose a really excellent angus prime rib dinner or the usual caviar with a touch of grey poupon as a garnish with a tossed salad. Based solely upon the demonstrated action, or a lack of it on their part, we are apparently viewed as the "wee people", not "We the People" as originally penned by our founding fathers.
Okay, now having said all that I can delve into the circumstances that took place on a most excellent day. I am a teacher at a rather small, but lively band of pilgrims and have committed my time to a class that meets every Sunday precisely at 9:00am. I say precisely because whether I have anyone attend or I find myself teaching just myself, at the moment the clock strikes 9, I begin. On this particular morning I found myself taking the usual route, seeing the usual people at the usual locations doing the usual things they do. I roll past the local jail where the deputies are having their break with their coffee and a breath of fresh air. I also go past the homeless rasta' mon as he rubs the sleepy from his eyes and is most likely contemplating where his next venture will be, whether to snag some leftovers from the local Micky D's or just meet with the other outside dwellers on the steps of the community library, We do get the opportunity to meet with these characters from time to time because where we have our meeting place is in the middle of all of this. Some attend our get together, but it is usually to get out of the cold during the winter months.
Back to the story.........on this morning, while hearing the tones of my tires rolling over the pavers that line the streets, I happened to spy what I thought was a snake lying in the middle of the street. I immediately hit the brakes, moved my vehicle into reverse, backed up, put it in park and got out to find that I was not mistaken. There he was. A magnificent specimen of a bull snake. All four and a half feet of him. Unfortunately, he had already been struck and there was no life left in him. Since I was running a bit late for my class, I was forced to leave him there on the pavers. It was a pitiful site. Now I am sure there are those of you out there who believe that the only good snake is a dead snake, but trust me, without these amazing creatures, we would truly be overrun with mice and the lot. I did not give the aforementioned event much thought until later that morning.
Before I left the house to my appointed class, I told GOD that I was so tired, and so worn out with being constantly angry with what I perceived the direction the world was moving. It was too much and i was seeing my life being sucked away, slowly, but relentlessly. Would HE please give me some solace and rest as to my dilemma. It was then that HE had me open HIS WORD to Psalms 37. I highly recommend you take the time to read all of it as if the author was there at your side, speaking directly to you in a calm, conversational pace. Not in a preaching manner, but as if your best friend were imparting to you a secret of great price. I saw myself in the words written so many years ago and to my amazement, I sensed the anger and angst move out and a calm enter in. As I reread the words, now seated in the classroom, the same sensation came over me. Before too long, I had an attendee by the name of Lula come in and ask how my week was and before I knew it I was telling her all about the events leading up to her arriving and as I was speaking to her, the LORD showed me how the bull snake displayed the proper position of us in HIM. GOD used the bull snake to show me, me.
In its proper environment, the bull snake served a mighty purpose and was fulfilling all that GOD had designed him to do. There were obviously plenty of mice for him to keep in containment through his skill at hunting and being a snake, evidenced by his size. His demise came about when he decided to move out across the brick pavers and make himself vulnerable to any and all moving objects larger than himself. I am certain that these things did not enter his mind or were a result of logical steps thought out, but the end results were a disaster for him and an abrupt halt to his life. GOD took that snake and made a very real example to me about how I was not designed to contemplate all that was wrong with the world in a effort to solve all the matters that were not right and become the answer to all of man's desires. GOD really doesn't have a need for any super-heroes. HE has already provided one and HE has accomplished all that HE was sent to do. You already know HIS name too. As I spoke all these things to my good friend Lula, I asked if she would mind my reading out loud Psalms 37. She responded as only Lula could and said please do, she would love to hear it, and she meant it.
As the words flowed out, the same sensation came over me again. It was not me saying them. It was as if I was on the outside, listening to someone else speaking the words and such was the HOLY SPIRIT flowing in and through me. I did not care if I was appearing odd. I did not care if she was in the room or not. I just knew that it was as if LIFE was flowing and it was as natural as breathing. Lula then shared with me what a blessing it was to hear the words being spoken and much to my amazement she stated that as I was speaking, she saw a light form around me. To be frank, I was not aware of this taking place. I could not sense it . But we were both blessed in the speaking and in the hearing. And that is the way it should be. Both the hearer and the one making the words sound out should sense the presence of the ONE being exalted. And that is the way GOD works. HE says that HIS WORD will not return to HIM empty. It is an impossibility. It cannot happen.
I have gone back to those words written in the Psalms and read them over again. They now have a significant place in my life because I have now lived those words. That is where we find the reality of JESUS CHRIST. It is not in hearing the words. It is not in speaking the words. It is not in memorizing them or taking a class where someone expounds on a 12 step program and we weave a rainbow pattern of high-lites in our Bible. It is when we live the words and they come alive within us that the difference is made. And until that happens, they remain only words. Nothing more. I shared all this with my darling bride as we ate our lunch together after Church. I attempted to tell her of how it moved me, the impact of the reality of the anger being lifted. But I could not. I had to stop and catch my breath and gain my composure before completing my story. I could not see her although she was seated right in front of me. Such were the tears obscuring my vision. Again, I did not care. Pride was gone. She stated that those words in the Psalms were precisely stating my case. That was her way of telling me that she loved me. And that was also the way that GOD showed me that HE loved me as well.
As usual, I am in awe.
