Contemplations on the Divine

The Bounds

When we read about the serpent in Genesis 3 we don't really read about a giant fire breathing dragon with wings on fire. We read about a wicked and crafty snake whispering things into the woman's ears. We all have been that woman at some point in our lives irrespective of our sexual constitution. Both men and women alike, we all sometimes heed wrong advice and make a mess of our lives. It happens because it is in our constitution to trust our own limited senses and perceptions more than trusting God. In the long run however it does us no good. 

You might be wondering what brought this on but as I am siting at two hours past midnight writing, contemplating on God, a good several months after I last spent quality time thinking about Him I can't help but wonder why we fail to completely surrender our will and senses to our maker.

Being human isn't necessary a folly because God made us in His own image. He didn't make us simple carnal creatures but compassionate beings with an aptitude to create and enjoy. But sometimes we become too content in who we are. We become too content in being the back bencher or the nerd or the jock. Sometimes we do not care about what plan God has for our future. 

A few days ago I was listening to a sermon and the preacher was emphasizing how God used Joseph who grew up in the wilderness to come to full potential in the Egyptian palace and how He used Moses who grew up in a pale in the wilderness. But we often forget that and we become complacent in where we are. We get used to the luxury of our palaces or to the simplicity of our wilderness. But God does not assure us that we will remain there. 

We need to trust God to help us reach our full potential in whatever circumstances. We don't. I don't. This is the part about self denial that is the hardest to grasp. God does not bother with our understanding or interpretation of His will. God doesn't always tell Abraham whether He is destroying Soddom and Gommorah. He does so only when there is a Lot involved. Bargaining with God is a lost battle. If He had not already known that there wouldn't be even ten righteous people in Soddom He wouldn't have agreed to Abraham in the first place. God knows the bleakness of our situation better than we do. God also knows the full potential we can achieve even when we don't. 

The work of the serpent is to stop seeing you that plan, that potential and he does that by planting a seed of doubt in your mind about who you are and what you want to become. We often imagine a snake as a cobra. It is the obvious the most deadliest image, the ornate hood. But cobra venom gives some time maybe as less than an hour but it is better than being choked to death by the restrictions that bind you. The serpent, the anaconda of all sins, binds you in your own perception of undue limitations. The only way to break out of these limitations is to yoke ourselves with the limitless bounds of God. 

Are we ready to do that?