SNAKEBIT

December 2

Bible Reading: Acts 28:1-6

Acts 28:3, “When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.”

Every year, our family would go camping at Whistler’s Bend Campground, located along the scenic banks of the North Umpqua River. It was a place of natural beauty that held many fond memories. However, one summer, our oldest daughter, who was in her early teens at the time, voiced a concern that had never crossed my mind: the possibility of encountering rattlesnakes.

“Don’t worry,” I reassured her, “I’ve been coming here for years and have never seen a rattlesnake or even heard of anyone spotting one.” But she remained unconvinced. So we went to the nearby library for further reassurance and found a book with a map detailing the range of western rattlesnakes. To my surprise, the map showed that the area of our campground was located right on the edge of their territory. Neither of us could definitively prove our point.

The next morning, I went fishing, trying to put the snake worry out of my mind. When I returned, my kids rushed up to me with urgent news—someone had spotted a rattlesnake in our campsite, and a lady had run over it with her car! Later, the campground hosts informed us that they had discovered an entire den of rattlesnakes on the hill behind the campground.  Like my daughter, I’ve always had a deep fear of snakes. The problem is, of course, that the venom of a poisonous snake can kill you.  Just as in the case of the snake that bit the Apostle Paul.

After all he’d been through, imagine how it must have felt for the Apostle Paul to be bitten by a snake.  Since leaving Jerusalem, it had been one trial (some literal court trials) after another.  Then he worked amid the violent storm, to ensure the safety of all his fellow passengers.  Safely ashore, native people kindled a fire to keep them warm.  Reaching to grab a bundle of sticks to put on the fire, a viper bit Paul.  The term “snakebit” is sometimes used to describe someone who is doomed to misfortune.  It certainly seemed so for Paul, as he was snakebit both literally and figuratively.

The natives assumed the misfortunate snakebite to be the hand of “Justice,” assuming that Paul must have murdered someone.  People tend to think that way about bad circumstances, and though difficulties can be of our making, it’s sometimes simply because we live in a broken world.  Paul understood God to be sovereign.  He wrote Romans 8:28 and to the Philippians of how God used even his bad circumstances for good (Philippians 1:12-18). 

The natives watched expectedly, waiting to see Paul swell up or die, but that’s not what happened.  God had promised to get Paul to Rome and nothing, not even the venom of a viper, was going to prevent that.  When it became apparent that Paul would not die, the natives changed their mind.  Paul was not a murderer, in their minds he was a god (Acts 28:6). 

The snakebit and pending miracle worked to endear Paul to the island folks, leading undoubtedly to many opportunities to share the gospel.  From a human perspective, it indeed appeared as if Paul was “snakebit,” but God was with him, and the trials he faced worked both to glorify God and further the gospel.

Bad things open the door to good opportunities.

NO, NOT ONE!
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases–
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus–
No, not one! no, not one!

No friend like Him is so high and holy–
No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

There’s not an hour that He is not near us –
No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us–
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

Was e’er a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! no, not one!
Will He refuse us a home in heaven?
No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]