Tom T. Hall’s song, “Sneaky Snake”, was a favorite of mine growing up. In it, the listener was warned about a snake that would sneak up and steal your root beer if you weren’t watching out for it. Loved it!

There is another “snake” every person needs to be wary of, though. Silent, it sneaks up and quietly slips into our thinking. The snake’s name is dread— “extreme uneasiness in the face of a disagreeable prospect” (Merriam-Webster).

Kermit the Frog often said, “It’s not easy being green.” Well, you and I both know that it’s not easy being human either. Our world is filled with pain. If we, personally, are not experiencing a physical, emotional, or mental challenge, then someone we know is (or we see it on the news). Without even thinking about it, we begin to fret (dread) the great “what if….”. Sssssssssssssssssss; there’s that snake sneaking in and stealing our root beer (peace).

So what can we do about it? What I use every day and works every day for me are the following four actions:

1.  Receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  Jesus promises life (John 10:13 and John 14:6) and peace (John 14:27). You are sealed with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) You are His! (Check out the back panel of GOOD MORNING GOD linked below to learn more about this.)

2.  Read the Bible every day. This is God’s love letter to each of us. It is what Oswald Chambers calls “God’s say-so”. He Who created all, keeps it running, and loves YOU so much that He sent His own Son (Jesus Christ) to pay the penalty for all sin wants you to know His heart and mind. By knowing, believing, and speaking His promises, you can tell that sneaky snake to get lost. (Romans 10:17)

3.  Think on God’s Word and claim it out loud. When we agree with God out loud, amazing things happen. (Proverbs 18:21)

4.  Sit quietly in God’s Presence (without distractions) and feel His love and peace wash over you. Jesus met with His Father each morning away from everyone else. If the Son of God needed this, how much more we need it! (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

As an example, let me share with you what happened to me this morning.

It’s been six months since I suffered a major stroke. The first five months I took my blood pressure every day to make sure I was doing all right; but, over the holidays I didn’t. So, I took it this morning—not bad, but a little higher than it had been. (123/77).

Ssssssssssssssss.

Ahhhhhhh, right. I hadn’t been in the Word yet. I had only prayed a little. I hadn’t sat in God’s Presence yet. So I got quiet before the Lord and prayed the Scriptures (putting on the armor of God—Ephesians 6:10-18). The peace of God and His love washed over me.  I took my blood pressure again (it had only been ten minutes): 97/72.

Anytime we are awake, that sneaky snake can come slithering in—stealing away our peace. Prepare yourself with a relationship with Christ Jesus, knowledge and proclamation of God’s promises, and an early morning start in His Presence.

God bless you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Patty

GOOD MORNING GOD