Hosanna Restoration Church

The remedy for being bitten is to be smitten. The folks had to look at a serpent on a pole and when they did, they lived. Like the folks in the wilderness, we have all been bitten and the only remedy is to look to the Cross and be smitten by the love of God.
They did not see their complaining and their lifestyles and rebellion as sin until the fiery serpents showed up. Then they came to Moses and asked him to pray for them. The result was the serpent on the pole.
We often fail to see sin in our lives. I suppose I saw serpents in the distance occasionally but they were far away. Thinking about it, it seems that the fiery serpents and the serpent on the pole showed up in my life almost simultaneously. Then again, only God knows for sure.
The one thing I know is that I was smitten with Jesus. For all I know, I was bitten a thousand times by the serpent, but one moment with Jesus and the smitten overcame the bitten.
Only God can open our eyes to the sin in our lives and yet we are often guilty of seeing the sin in another person’s life before they do. What should we do? Pray!
In prayer, I was bemoaning my imperfections. God pointed out that I was detailing things that I see and of course He sees and He has it under control. If I could do it, then who would get the glory?
Jesus pointed out that we could do nothing without Him. He is able to complete what He has begun in us. He keeps us aware of where we are, and He leads us to where we are going.
With that in mind, I am helplessly hopeful. He said, “Can you trust me?” Now that just brings a stillness to my life. It reminds me once again that the pressure is not on me or you. We are called to present ourselves to God and trust that He will in fact transform us by the renewing of our minds. Then it is our privilege to live in this world with our renewed minds and lives.
Our hope is in the Lord; our hope for ourselves and our hope for those around us. As much as we might think we know what is going on, the truth is we probably don’t. We do however know the One who does know so the best thing is to stay close and attentive.
I can’t save anyone, and neither can you. We can only reveal the One who can. Just as we cannot perfect ourselves; we can only present ourselves to the one who can. Yes He is able to accomplish everything He has promised. We have the privilege of following Him. Stay close!