Miracle of a Vicious Snake Strike

Yes, as for Paul the Apostle, God protects his servants from the danger of snake attacks.

Do You Trust God to Protect You Even From a Vicious Snake Attack?

 (Photo by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fhwa.dot.gov)

Overhead, a bald eagle flies by, looking like a huge bomber bird. Two rusty Cooper's Hawks regularly visit my back field where a herd of goats pastures. The prime purpose of the herd is to keep the grass short to discourage the presence of Florida's poisonous snakes. Over the years, I've encountered rattlesnakes, coral snakes, and water moccasins in turn.

In the far front corner of the wild property is a ravine overgrown with bushes, wild grasses and leafy trees. It's a deep, dark, murky pool of water in the rainy season. One day I trudged down there to fix the barbed wire fence line built around the property.

As I came close to a woody fence post, I heard the tail rattling of a nervous snake, noisy in the dried grasses. Looking carefully, I caught a glimpse of him stretched out barely seen near the fence line. He looked like a rattlesnake, but I saw rows of long sharp teeth. Being too close, I turned my back to step away from the post.

WHACK! That snake struck at 

my leg with a mighty force!

But he bit the fence post instead! This was a miracle. Snakes see with infrared eyes, and he confused the fence post for my leg which was exactly behind the post. The snake's teeth stuck hard in the wood post for a few moments as he struggled to free himself with his figure eight coiling body.

I raised my long handled shovel to strike at him, but in a flash he disappeared as I shifted my feet to make the hit. I walked away trembling with double layer goosebumps all over my skin. I felt frightened and alone. But the still, soothing voice of the Lord spoke to me calmly and echoed through my whole being.

"I will never leave you nor forsake you” 

(Joshua 1:5 NIV).

Later, I learned the snake was a Florida Banded Water Snake. With his rows of long razor sharp teeth, he could tear a cube of flesh out of man's leg.

Preachers often have trouble with the snake scripture, but I've had my encounters a few times, and I believe it!

"And these signs will accompany those who believe:… they will pick up snakes with their hands…it will not hurt them at all” (Mark 16:17-18 NIV).

Paul the Apostle understood.

When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god (Acts 28:4-6 NIV).
 

Now, I understood, too.

--Bill Hunt

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