Be Careful What You Pray For
True life is not tame
Once when my younger child was in 5th grade or so, something truly extraordinary happened while we were out on the Appalachian Trail. We were camping at Shenandoah National Park, and the two of us had set out together for a long hike while my wife and dog stayed at the campsite. It was a glorious, hot summer day.
Something you have to know is that my little one has a heart for animals. They feel a special bond with animals. As a child, they would go through phases of deep interest in different creatures. They also had, and still have, a special ability to see the beauty in creatures the rest of us write off as repulsive or frightening.
Well, at this point in time, they were in their reptiles phase. They were absolutely fascinated with these creatures. They were studying them in school, if I remember correctly, and reading everything they could about them. We had visited the zoo so they could see some in person.
So, of course, on our hike they were on the lookout to spot these creatures in the wild. We had been hiking for a long, sweaty time but only spotted a lizard or two in the rocks. With about a mile left and the sun beating down, we stopped to give our feet a break and enjoy some water and a snack.
Ask, and Ye Shall Receive
They were disappointed, because they hadn’t seen the animals they were studying. I said, “Look, why don’t we just pray right here and ask God for what you want?” So, we did — sat on a log together on the side of the trail and prayed. My little one said, “Lord, I want to see a snake, a big, beautiful snake.”
I put some finishing touches on that earnest supplication, and we packed up our stuff. I said, “I wonder what God’s going to show us?” We were off down the trail, my little one’s spirits up again and their eyes alive with anticipation. Me, my eyes were alert for the harmless black snake I was sure we would glimpse at a distance.
Not 60 seconds later, we turned a bend to a raucous scene 20 yards (20 meters) ahead. Two teenage boys were whooping loudly and hopping around something on the trail. As we got closer, we saw what that something was. Do you want to hazard a guess?
Yes, a snake. A huge snake. It was not black.
Demonstrating the intelligence and wisdom typical of the American male, these teenagers were taking great joy in tormenting the magnificent serpent with sticks. (Properly speaking, it was not joy. Taking pleasure in cruelty is not joy, but sadism. I implore you never to give any foothold to this false joy, for it is a toxic venom.)
It was then I heard it – the unmistakable rattle. The sound roused a primeval fear that I felt in my bones as a cold chill. I had briefly encountered rattlesnakes before in the wilderness on Army maneuvers but never heard their rattle with my own ears.
I turned to get a fix on my little one’s bearings. And as it turned out, they were experiencing the spectacle altogether differently. They had a look of complete rapture. God had answered our prayer, and the golden opportunity was at hand!
Our reactions couldn’t have been more different, but they worked toward the same end. We both rushed forward to rebuke the teenagers, I for their foolishness and my little one for their cruelty.
The spell broken, the teenagers sheepishly dropped their sticks and moved on.
This turn of events somehow seemed worse. Now we were left alone with the angry beast.
I was torn inside. My little one did not apprehend the danger in the least. They were fully intent on communing with this fearsome creature. It seemed an obvious answer to prayer, which made me feel the Lord would protect us. But, you don’t screw around with a rattlesnake, so I wanted to make sure we kept a safe distance.
The serpent took the opportunity to slither off the trail, but we were still too close for its liking. I tried to hold my child off, but they remained focused on getting close. Then, the snake backed itself against a tree, coiled up, raised its head, and began letting loose with the rattle. I pulled us well back, and the snake disappeared into the brush.
The encounter over, I was relieved and my little one elated. God had indeed answered our prayer. We had come face to face with such a majestic creature! Never before had I experienced such intense fear, thrill, and joy all bound up together. My child’s faith being purer than mine, I believe they only experienced the thrill and joy.
We finished off that last mile easily, so eager to share the adventure of a lifetime back at the campsite! My little one was a babbling brook of excitement. As for myself, I was quietly muttering, “I need to be more specific in my prayers.”
I swear I felt God smiling over us.
You know, for many years I have interpreted this incident as God wanting to delight my child. Then, I began to think that perhaps he intended to reveal something of his “wildness.” These days, I wonder if his primary concern wasn’t to rescue three creatures he dearly loved, two foolhardy boys and a big, beautiful snake.
Fear and Joy
How about you? Have you ever had an intense run-in with a wild animal?
Have you ever been shocked at the way God answered a prayer?
Have you ever felt fear and joy at the same time?
A Short Meditation
“Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh,” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”… “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver… “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
-C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Scriptures say over and over that “the fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom. We tend to rationalize the word “fear” in these verses because the idea makes us uncomfortable. We want safe gods for safe lives in safe neighborhoods.
However, our Creator won’t be put into our boxes. He isn’t tame. The most powerful person, thing, or force on this earth, in the entirety of the universe, is less than nothing by comparison. And ultimately, he will abide no evil, including the evil in each of us.
Fear is a gift: it makes us alert, it helps us see the stakes, it makes us realize our place. But it is only the beginning of wisdom, because God is not only great, he is good. He desires for us to be reconciled to him, that we might approach him as boldly as a child.
Un Petit Aperçu
Quand ma fille était petite, nous avons fait une longue randonnée dans les montagnes du parc national de Shenandoah en Virginie. Elle voulait vraiment voir un serpent. Nous avons décidé de prier et de demander à Dieu d’en voir un. Je pensais que nous pourrions peut-être voir un serpent normal et non venimeux, mais 60 secondes plus tard, nous sommes tombés sur un énorme serpent à sonnette. Le serpent m'a fait très peur, mais pas ma fille. Elle avait envie de se rapprocher encore davantage ! Quand il est devenu clair que nous étions en vrai danger, je l'ai tirée en arrière et le serpent s'est enfui. J'étais soulagée ; elle était ravie. Je n'avais jamais ressenti autant de peur et de joie en même temps. Avez-vous déjà vécu une telle expérience ?
Μία Περίληψη
Όταν το παιδί μου ήταν μικρό, κάναμε μια μεγάλη πεζοπορία στα βουνά στο Εθνικό Πάρκο Shenandoah. Ήθελε πάρα πολύ να δει ένα φίδι. Αποφασίσαμε να προσευχηθούμε και να ζητήσουμε από τον Θεό να δούμε ένα τέτοιο πλάσμα. Σκεφτόμουν ότι ίσως μπορεί να δούμε ένα κανονικό μη δηλητηριώδες φίδι. 60 δευτερόλεπτα αργότερα, όμως, συναντήσαμε έναν τεράστιο κροταλία. Ο ήχος της κουδουνίστρα του με τρόμαξε μέχρι θανάτου, αλλά όχι το παιδί μου. Ήθελε να συνεχίσει να το πλησιάζει! Όταν έγινε σαφές ότι βρισκόμασταν σε αληθινό κίνδυνο, την τράβηξα πίσω και το φίδι γλίστρησε. Ανακουφίστηκα εγώ. Ήταν ενθουσιασμένη αύτη. Δεν ένιωσα ποτέ τόσο φόβο και χαρά μαζί ταυτόχρονα. Είχες ποτέ μια τέτοια εμπειρία;
Jeff, a beautiful reflection on nature and the beauty of the earth that God created for us. Thank you for sharing this!