Titanoboa

What's 48' long, weighs 2500 lbs, is 4 feet tall and eats large crocodiles whole? It's the Titanoboa from a New York City subway station. Well, the full size replica is in a New York commuter hub anyway. Scientists from University of Florida, Nebraska, and Colombia discovered the constrictor while excavating an abandoned coal mine in Colombia. (Gee, I wonder why the mine was abandoned?) Actually, they discovered the bones of the reptiles and didn't realize what they had until they got the bones back to the labs. One of the researchers said it was sort of like seeing a mouse skull the size of a rhino. Turns out the Titanoboa, as it has been named, lived in the Paleocene era about 65 million years ago. The Smithsonian will have the full size replica on display to promote its television show in April. Had I been living 65 million years ago in Colombia, I would be very old now, and I guarantee you that I would never have been eaten alive by one of these things had I stumbled across one looking for my pre-Colombian golf ball in the jungle. I would not have been eaten alive because the sight of it would have caused me to die on the spot.

I'm kinda glad we don't have snakes the size of school buses anymore, although I'm sure they could keep the rat and crocodile population down around here. We face huge predators of our own making these days. Questions, doubts, addictions, fears, greed, narcissism, arrogance, materialism and a host of other sin-predators are eating us alive today. Why? Probably lots of reasons but one fundamental reason has to be that our faith has remained in the Paleocene era. We've got these present day sin-predators but our God is too small to deal with them, or so we think, or in many cases, don't think.

Rather than turning in large masses to faith in Christ and submitting to His Lordship, our society has in stead questioned God and His very existence. We question God about His nature: Is He distant or close? Is God vindictive or merciful? Does He care? Does He know my name?  Why doesn't He say something if He's there?
We question God about His motivation: Why doesn't He act? Does He want to help? Does He live to judge us or love us? What's in it for God and for me?
We question God about His timing: why did He let the light change at that moment? Why did the train come when my dad's car stalled on the track? Why did my folks find jobs after the foreclosure? Why did Alzheimer strike so soon after Mom retired? Why is He taking so long?
We question God about His methods: Why did He leave him there of all places? Why doesn't He just provide them with some money? Why do they have to go through so much pain?  Well, if God won't take care of it then I will!

The snakes feed on our fears, pride, and doubts then grow while our faith is squeezed. So what do we do?
Keep asking the questions, God can handle them. Keep traveling with God in faith remembering that travels sometimes have valleys, even valleys of doubt. Keep looking to Jesus for the very best,  most complete understanding of what God is like (nature), what inspires Him (motivation), how and when He acts (timing), and the way He works all things together for good for those who love Him (methods).

Our nation, our churches and we ourselves are in need of spiritual renewal. An awakening from God's Spirit alone can  do the things we need done in our hearts, our homes,  and our nation. People are looking to politics, Hollywood, Vegas, sports, food, booze and drugs. And that just feeds the snake.
Remember Jesus' words from Matthew 7, ''Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "

What happened to the Titanoboa 65 million years ago? One guess among many is that their food supply dried up. Sin-predators will starve when fed on a diet of God's promises. By the way, God always knocks (Rev. 3:20), He doesn't sliver.

What are you  feeding your fears and doubts today?
Cos