Kill The Snake

As I was playing the piano this morning I was struck by the words of an old hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" by Isaac Watts. This hymn is beautiful and one of my favorites.

"Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

save in the death of Christ my God;

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood."

I was convicted of these words and how it is so simple to get caught up in 'vain things.' The things are different for everyone, but I think they are anything that distracts us from the grand calling we have as believers to follow and serve Christ. I think one of the greatest entryways into our minds, leading to temptation is that black box which is in every living room in America--and maybe every other room of most houses. We watch shows, movies and commercials all the while knowing that the lifestyle, images and language presented in them are against the very morality that Scripture calls us to.

Last week I was at a Fields of Faith event. It is an outreach for high school students. The speaker at this event told a story:

There was a little girl who had a pet snake [true story] for her birthday. She fed the snake every day and it would sleep next to her, curled up on a pillow beside her on the bed. After a while the snake stopped eating and would not even eat different foods that the girl would try to feed it. The snake also stopped sleeping curled up on the pillow next to her, instead it lay stretched out, parallel to her. One day they stopped to ask a veterinarian what they could do to make the snake eat. They told her about the strange behavior of the pet. When he heard that the snake was not eating and now lay stretched out next to her, he said,

"When you go home, you need to kill the snake."

He explained that the snake was preparing itself to have its most fulfilling meal yet--the very girl who had loved it and given it so much attention.

The speaker looked at the youth and said, 'Some of you need to go home and kill the snake.' Those little sins in our life, we have to get rid of them! Satan looks to what we spend most time and thought on--those are our priorities and he will use them to his advantage to trap us in sin.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour 1Peter 5:8

If we are not constantly on guard of our thoughts and affections, we could very easily become victim to the schemes of the devil. Satan is very real and not passive.

I have been thinking about how it is usually vain and stupid things that fill most of my thoughts. I forget about the greater work that God is doing in the world. Even though I cannot go out and save every person out of Satan's grasp or rescue every person from their dark lifestyles. There are some things I can do--and hiding in my own safe world is not an option! As a believer I NEED to pray, pray, pray! I need fill my mind with things that will challenge me and inspire me to serve God and others. I can pray for ways to serve in my church and community. And there are many more ways to combat the ways of Satan in the world...

"...Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts." Romans 13:11-14

So many things I could say about this passage, but I won't because I really think Paul said it best. We have been--can I say--embarrassed, of our Christian beliefs, but if they were lived out I really believe that my life and this world would be a very different place.