John 14:8-14
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”
Jesus replied: Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don’t you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father? Don’t you believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? What I say isn’t said on my own. The Father who lives in me does these things.
Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. I will do whatever you ask me to do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Yesterday, a friend went out to her front yard and removed the lid to her water meter to turn off a valve while she checked something on her sprinkler system. Apparently, she was talking on the phone with a service man who was guiding her, and as she reached for the dial, she noticed a copperhead curled up in the corner of the box. She said she screamed and ran – covering a good distance with her first step. The service man asked, “Didn’t you smell him?” Well, NO! She did not even know what that meant (supposedly some people say copperheads emit a “smell”).
My friend posted a photo of the snake and told of her near-bite-experience, which reminded me of Greg’s brother’s snake bite in September 2018, when he was indeed struck by a copperhead while trimming ivy in his backyard. After a night or two in the ICU, at least 12 vials of antivenom, and several months of severe swelling and leg pain, he recovered. But we definitely do not take the potential presence of copperheads lightly!
I was already afraid of snakes, but I now take every opportunity to warn others about where they could hide – and how deadly the bite of a venomous snake could be. I understand there are “good” snakes – and we have some of those in our yard on occasion. But we should all pay attention and be on guard when we lift a bucket, lid – or even a child’s toy or a lawn chair in the yard. We should be watching where we step in warm months and avoiding areas where snakes could be hiding. We all know this…and most take this seriously and are vigilant in their efforts to protect ourselves from a snake bite. When you know…you know…and we’ve all had plenty of warning and instruction about staying safe!
The early verses of this passage in John 14 are familiar to all of us, and I didn’t want to focus on them today – the ones where Jesus tells the disciples He is going to prepare a room for them in God’s mansion, and He will return when the time is right. The disciples panicked. They didn’t know what to do or think…and some asked Jesus, “How will we manage? What will we do? How will we find you when our ‘room’ is ready?” And Jesus said, “You know what to do…I’ve already told you and shown you the way. If you know Me, you already know God. Use what I’ve taught you and share it with others. Go farther, do more…make the most of your time until I come for you.”
I can tell you, when I see any snake, my heart races, and I feel the adrenaline rush through my body. Even if I know this variety is harmless, I am momentarily panicked. So when I read this passage about the disciples, I got it! When we get news that alarms us – or is unsettling in some manner – our first instinct is to throw up our hands and say… “Wait…WHAT?” But then we take a breath, collect ourselves, and figure out our next steps. We know what to do…we know to wait for the snake to pass – or to go around it if possible. We know that God has prepared us for all situations and circumstances…and we know to stop, breathe, whisper a prayer, and trust God for His response.
You and I don’t have all the answers…God never meant for us to “take the wheel” and figure things out on our own. And this is not necessary…we have every bit of knowledge and wisdom we need, because God has provided this. All we have to do is take a step back, breathe…and call on Him to guide and guard us. We are also commanded to share God’s wisdom with others…to warn them about the perils of “snakes” – and the promises of Heaven! On our own, we are all pretty helpless…but with God, all things are possible. Trust Him today with faithful obedience. Know that God is preparing a room for you in His mansion…and live as if it will be ready any minute. And remember to watch your step – and where you reach this summer! When you know…you know! Alleluia!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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