Close Call!



Makoshika State Park Frisbee Golf Course



Recently some  fellow missionaries and I were frisbee golfing in Glendive, Montana. The course was in the badlands and was surprisingly beautiful. Although the weather was very hot we were having a great time hurling the disks as far as we could across the badlands. Then we almost took a trip to the Doctor as I approached a disk that I'd thrown into the tall weeds.

We were all in a hurry so we all ran to get our disks. As I approached mine at a good pace and started to reach down, I heard a rattle go off... I looked to the sound and noticed a rattlesnake, ready to strike right behind my disk. I must have jumped pretty high when I saw it! I was within five feet of the snake, but stopped and backed away. Luckily I heard the rattle in time to avoid any problems. It was a close call!

Going along with the snake theme let's think about the story of the Children of Israel found in the Old Testament. In Numbers 21 we read that the Children of Israel started to complain so they were chastened. Snakes pursued them and killed anyone that was bitten, but the Lord provided a way out. The Children of Israel had to look to Mose's brass serpent that he'd fastened to the end of a pole. If they did this they would live.

Have you ever thought about where the health care logo found on ambulances with the two snakes climbing up the pole comes from? It comes from the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness.
 The following excerpts are from Alma 33:18-22. These excerpts are found in the Book of Mormon and give us a great perspective on the story found in Numbers 21.

...and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live...

... But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

 ...cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

I love these excerpts because of the great lesson that they teach. Just as the Children of Israel looked to Moses to be healed when they were dieing, we need to look to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We all get 'bit' in life and His teachings are always there to help us to heal and to be happy.

-Thanks for Reading