Or did I?
My wife and I were hiking up the Crab Creek Trail at the Potholes State Park in Central Washington a couple of weeks ago. It was a short trail meandering alongside a small stream winding its way through a shallow valley girded by rock cliffs on either side. We could tell the trail was not traveled very frequently for the footpath was filled with small plants happily growing where footprints normally trod, and the path was often crowded over by bushes spreading their limbs to the other side.
At one point, Kathy stopped to take pictures and I kept on walking. The trail was getting hard to find now because it was so overgrown with weeds and bushes. At a thick patch of undergrowth, I shoved my way through, doing my best to keep from getting swatted by rubbery branches. And then I heard it. The shaking of a rattle. I knew the sound well from my farming days. It was a rattlesnake somewhere underfoot. I did a quick double leap out of the bushes and yelled back to Kathy to stay put. And there I saw it back on the path. A few inches from where I had planted my foot was a rattlesnake around 18” long. I stood there for a moment reveling in gratitude for not stepping on that snake. I was grateful for Mother Nature’s warning system to alert me and steer clear of that creature, and also for the truth that there didn’t need to be any conflict between the two of us. The snake eventually slithered away, we continued on our hike, and all was well.
But as I continued our trek, the question, “What if I had stepped on that snake?” clamored for attention. The suggestion of a snakebite was not a pretty picture in my mind, and I wanted it out. So I prayed for resolution.
In my prayers, I quickly saw that I had a choice to make. Was I going to accept that my life was subject to chance and risk, danger, and even death, in a mortal mind world, or was I going to live in God’s kingdom where God rules with Love and enables all creatures to dwell together in harmony? I knew the choice was critical, because we live out our choices. I chose the latter.
As I marched ahead, I rejoiced in knowing that it would have been impossible for me to step on that snake. I reflected the presence of God. God was guiding my every footstep. God knew where that snake was, even though I didn’t, and He planted my foot in a safe place where there would be no conflict. There never was a single solitary chance that I was going to step on that snake. It just wasn’t going to happen, and it didn’t. The one Mind was coordinating my walk with that creature’s travels, and we were able to both function in that environment without incident.
Looking at the situation from a spiritual point of view brought me great peace, and also helped me understand that I needed to keep up the same kind of prayer for future hikes and trips.
We should never take God’s grace and care for granted. It needs to be acknowledged and honored to receive its full benefit, and also to experience more of it as we trek ahead with all other life activities.
amazing Truth – loved the article thank Evan.
Thanks Evan for the reminder. I shall take the sentence …… “We should never take God’s grace and care for granted. It needs to be acknowledged and honored to receive its full benefit, and also to experience more of it as we trek ahead with all other life activities.” along with me on my journey through today’s events and reflect with gratitude on all the times God’s preserving care has been evident in my life!
Wow, Evan! What protection you had and what a wonderful insight you gained and shared with us with this lesson of step by step going along our way, knowing that we, too, wherever we go are blessed with the one Mind of harmony and peace.
What a powerful statement, ‘We should never take God’s grace and care for granted. It needs to be acknowledged and honored…” Thank you, Evan!
I agree with Dilys–the last sentence says it all! I will go forward today honoring and acknowledging God’s goodness and protection. Thanks so much!
Awesome! Thank you for taking thought higher. Driving in traffic, I’ve often marveled (and appreciated) how obedient drivers are kept safe and separate by two dimensional lines drawn on roads. Now my thought has been lifted to the right understanding that it is divine Mind guiding and governing each idea, knowing right we are, keeping us planted in the right path. This wonderfully protecting and embracing understanding that lifts human thought out of useless and distracting “what ifs”.
Beautiful instance of protection!
Thank you for your post today. I read it before I commuted to work today. As I was waiting at a light of a three lane exit ramp to the city, a car which ran a red light zoomed past us as our light was green. The good news was there was no accident and all cars were protected. Having read your post I was reminded to acknowledge “God’s grace and care” and express gratitude for the protection of all involved instead of thinking “that was close” or being cross with the driver who missed the red light. Thank you for your always helpful and inspiring blog.
Dear Evan:
Thank you for this story.
Here in Southern Arizona we have many opportunities to encounter these loving creatuses on hikes and bicycle rides. All of God”s creatures are harmless and useful and rattle snakes are no exception. If one stays still and fearlessly loves them they will respond in kind and simply go about their intended business once they see there is no threat.
Once I encountered a snake stretched out straight warming.itself on a sunny brick driveway. It did not even move As I looked into its eyes I saw the most love in a pair of eyes I’ve ever seen. We both knew we were completely safe and simplyou stayed still admiring each other for a long time until I turned my bicycle around to return home. I will never forget the largess of love that day.
Each morning studying the Bible Lesson protects, guides & guards us as we proceed the day.
I agree with all the above! Such a beautiful example of loves care for everyone. Not only does this help me acknowledge all the past protection I ‘ve received but the idea that our whole day is governed not but chance, mishaps, or other frustrations, but we can only experience the unerring direction and the unfolding of good moment by moment. We dwell in Love and harmony, safety and fulfillment! Thanks Evan.for this lovely example!!
I like the idea that our feet are only ever placed in harmonious paths. This idea is expanding to include actual footsteps (a healing thought for me and for a pet) and for the steps in thought that we take on the way to and in jobs, relationships, church work, etc etc.
I really like the idea that in God’s kingdom God guides our every step, therefore not only can I be safe from the snake but it is safe from me! I hadn’t thought of this angle before and this couldn’t have come at a better time. I am preparing to go on a short holiday in an area that two years ago had an “explosion” of snakes being born. I’ve always been extremely frightened of snakes and realise I need to prepare my thought before going to this place, but I hardly know where to start. Now I do know, thankyou Evan 😉
Wow thanks Evan! When my son was 12 or so he was playing with a friend on an old unused stone bridge near our house. Somehow he fell off and landed some 5 or so metres below. His friend came and got me, and I called a practitioner for help while I went to get him. We got him home and within 2 days he was back at school – with the help of a practitioner, any physical issues were resolved.
But some months later, he said to me that he didn’t like driving past the bridge – which we had to do each day. My thoughts had been haunted during this time of what might have happened – as there was a spike in the ground very close to where he had fallen. I had the “what if” questions coming thick and fast.
The practitioner reassured me that complete healing had occurred at the time and we had been witnesses – not only to that but also to the proof that the fall itself had been an illusion all along – she said that it was not “happenstance” that my son had landed where he did – and that there was no chance or luck in it. This broke the mesmerism completely both for me and for him. Thank you for reminding me of this – it was an important lesson for me.
Thank you for your day to day expressions of divine wisdom 🙂
A wonderful follow up to this statement of Evan’s is the The Snake on the Garden Wall by Evelyn Heiss in the April 1981 issue of the Journal. It is a remarkable testimony, with a very clear statement of how the demonstration was made. Thanks Evan
I too! believe my early morning lesson plans help to maintain and keep me safe. I have found many times some danger has existed but I was able to remain in God’s care in keeping me safe.
We seemed to share our house with scorpions who liked to visit us in the house at night. We also had rattlesnakes around. I decided to study each one, feeling that we were going to co-inhabit. I gained great appreciation for thier shape, their beautiful markings, and learning their way of life. This dispelled any fear (yes cautious). In fact they have become favorites, maybe God’s too since he made them so beautiful.
Lovely show of God’s protection. I was especially drawn to your speculation “What if I had stepped on that snake?”
It’s easy to get as caught up in the “whew! close call!” sort of thing as if something bad had actually happened. Such speculation itself can take hold and cause fear! I have experienced that.
I have turned it around to gratitude for God’s constant and consistent awareness of each of us in any situation, knowing that I (or whomever/whatever was involved) were never in danger in God’s realm.
Thank you for sharing that prayer.
Love the way you think. So inspiring.
Thank you Evan for this reminder of God’s ever present protection. It is a beautiful reminder to express gratitude to Him for His infinite ever presence instead of ruminating on past “what if” or “poor me” experiences.
God’s ever present protection was brought home to me a few months ago while driving down a residential street in our community.
I was enjoying the lovely flowers and keeping one eye on the road when a very commanding voice said stop!!! To all appearances I was alone in the car. I slammed my foot on the brake and the car stopped about 6 inches from a skateboard that a beautiful boy of about 8 or 9 years was carrying as he ran in front of the car. I had not seen him because I was looking at flowers and only half on the street.
He apologized profusely and I reassured him that all was well. We each went on but I only went about a block before I pulled to the side and stopped with such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to God for the boy’s protection and mine that tears were running freely.
So grateful for God’s ever present love and protection for all.
I also had an experience just like this while driving around in a large carpark looking for a spot…suddenly I heard “slow ..SLOWER! …SLOW!!!” in my mind.
I immediately came almost to a halt when suddenly a young girl walking and texting while staring at her phone, walked straight out in front of me only about a metre away. At the same time a large vehicle backed out (my parking spot..thanks God!) and the girl would have been sandwiched between both cars ! I bipped the horn and everyone jumped and saw what was about to happen….but no one was hurt. I was SO grateful for that protection for everyone. The other driver hadn’t seen that he was about to back over the girl either!
Evan, everyday I am grateful for these spiritual gems which show up in my inbox!
I do a lot of hiking in the Sierra foothills which are populated by an occasional snake, but also bears and mountain lions. I continually keep my thoughts free from fear by acknowledging the harmonious existence of all of God’s creations, both plant (poison oak) and animal. I know that I am always in my right place and that I am directed by Divine Mind and that I reflect Love. The bears and mountain lions have their right place, as well. They, too, are under the direction of the one Mind. They reflect God’s love, too. Simple, yet powerful and effective thoughts dispel the fears.
We live in rattlesnake country, so I often pray to keep my thought free of fear. The account of Paul in the Bible (Acts 28) and statements in Science and Health, especially “Understanding the control which Love held over all…Paul proved the viper to be harmless. All of Gods creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible.” (514:26-30) And also our need to change our belief of chance to the certainty of God’s unerring direction. (424:5-9)
Thank you Evan for this blog and thanks everyone for the helpful comments. (=