Shaking off the snakes

In Acts 28 we come across an interesting situation where Paul encounters a snake (viper) while putting wood onto a fire. This is one of my worst nightmares - snakes love to hide amongst piles of wood and it would be easy to find one lurking underneath a log. Snakes are not my favourite reptiles!

This is how the actual story goes:

"Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ 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.” ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ⁶ 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 28:2-6

My friend and colleague Collin Moore was preaching on this passage on Sunday and he reminded us to 'shake off the snakes' that wrap themselves around our spiritual lives. Perhaps it would be a helpful exercise to think about this for a moment. 

Who or what has become a viper in your life? 
What has wrapped itself around your heart and is threatening to poison your life?
What will you do about it?

Paul has the strong conviction that God has called him to preach the gospel and he is convinced that this viper will not take his life. So, in an act of bravery, he shakes off the snake that has just bitten him. God protects him from the bite and he carries on to spread the gospel.

We may not have control over what snake may bite us, but we do have a choice in allowing it to stay wrap around our lives. Let's follow Paul's example and 'shake off the snake'! 

Ask God to show you what vipers are in your life and how you can shake them off.

Living in Grace
D3LM3