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| The other day I was working at the house when, all of the sudden, Ana came running up saying “there was a big snake on the path where her and Gabriel were.” The kids were there raking the path that leads to the obstacle course (because we had a camp the next day). So I grabbed a shovel, my machete’ (and my camera, of course- haha) and jumped on the motorcycle and raced up the path to where Gabriel was being stared down by the biggest Jararaca (a very poisonous snake) that I’ve ever seen here at the camp. |
It was too big to hit with the machete’ initially, so I took the shovel and speared it in the middle of it’s body, pinning it to the ground. It was rearing back and striking repeatedly- so thankfully it wasn’t going anywhere because of the shovel holding it in place. It was still too dangerous to get close enough to with the machete’- so I had to grab a long stick to pin it’s head to the ground so that I could attempt to chop it off and kill it.
I’m usually not that scared of snakes (they just make me mad) but this one had enough girth on it that I was pretty freaked-out. The Jararaca is one of the most poisonous snakes on the entire planet with venom so potent that as little as 1.3mg can kill you. We don’t have anti-venom here at the camp and the closest hospital is 40 minutes away. So as much as I know that the Apostle Paul has an awesome testimony of just shaking a poisonous viper off his hand and into the fire in Acts 28 without suffering any harm- getting bit by one of these things isn’t something that I want to add to my list of ‘missionary experiences’ here in Brazil.
After I finally pinned it’s head to the ground (after several attempts) with a long stick, I was able to inflict the death blow with my machete.’ My adrenaline was really pumping at this point. To be able to kill this thing was actually pretty exhilarating.
Speaking of snakes, we just celebrated Easter a couple days ago and I was teaching at church about how Christ redeemed us through His death, burial and resurrection. And, as we traced back over how it all came about, one of the scriptures we looked at was in Genesis 3:15 where God told the snake (the devil) that because he had caused man to fall, that He (God) was going to send someone who was going to crush his head (the devil’s) and that his head would bruise His (the coming Messiah’s) heel. The most amazing thing I see in the story is the immense love God has for us (mankind). Because as soon as man fell- God immediately put a plan in motion (Protoevangelium- the 1st announcement of the Gospel for all you theologians out there) to save mankind. How crazy is that?
Before God even announced any of the consequences to Adam and Eve for their outright rebellion- He announced the plan of how He was going to restore things back to where they should be by sending a Savior. And part of that plan involved inflicting a crushing blow to the head of the enemy: )
And it all happened through the cross. The cross is where satan lost. It’s through the cross and the death of Jesus where he relinquished the keys of death and hades from satan’s hand as Jesus crushed his head (Rev. 1:18). And Jesus didn’t just die, He rose victorious and is seated right now at the right hand of the Father- where He’s interceding for us (Heb. 7:25) and acting as our advocate (1 Jn. 2:1).
Satan has no authority over us anymore. And sin is no longer separating us from having a close relationship with God. So it’s just like God said it would happen... head crushed? check! heel bruised? check! Now it’s just a matter of time until he (the devil) is thrown once and for all into the lake of fire and sulphur- where he’ll be tormented day and night forever (Rev. 20:10). And having to fight against all his junk will finally be over. Sounds like the original snake isn’t gonna make it: )
Feeling Overwhelmed by God’s Love,
JIm
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