One of the main reasons I did not want to be a rice farmer was I really don’t like snakes. I have so many snake stories. One morning I counted 51 snakes in one field. That will cause a guy to be a bit jumpy. I’ve had one swim between my legs. And when you smell one but can’t see it, well trust me, that’s not good. But the story I will not forget was early one morning walking into the field. I was walking on the lower end of the field by a brush pile. I was paying close attention as I walked. The rice was a little over knee high, making it difficult to see. Several feet in front of me the rice was shaking…something was moving toward me. Rabbits, racoons, possums will run from a person. The only thing I knew to be so fearless was a cottonmouth. I stood there frozen. I knew I could not outrun the snake. I looked very carefully to see the head. It was about then I got “Rice Field Religion.” I began to shout for Jesus to help me as I chopped wildly where I thought the snake would be. I don’t know if it was Jesus or the crazy guy I became chopping & screaming that morning, but the snake lost the battle.

 My “Rice Field Religion” only lasted so long, and I was right back to my old self-centered life. It was years later that I came to grips with the fact that I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t know Jesus. The problems that I had created were bigger than the snake, and the Band-Aid faith of “Rice Field Religion” no longer worked. It was the morning I heard His whisper, “Have you had enough, or do you want some more of this?” It was then I cried out to Him. This is when the journey began. This is why Nicodemus came in the night searching…when Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3. Nicodemus belonged to a religion, but he didn’t belong to Jesus. This is the core issue.

Jesus tells us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Note the key words “Whoever follows me…” His light, His Power is for His followers. Being a follower is accepting & living Jesus as our leader not ourselves. Following Him is trusting in Him with a No-Matter-What commitment. Following Jesus is not a cake walk. In fact, Jesus tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

But why? Why, choose Jesus? First, I’ve discovered the hard way, nothing else works! Only Jesus can & does provide the Peace, Joy, Strength…everything I need for the Journey of Life. Second, this life on earth is only temporary. At the end of my journey, I want to be with Him, my Savior…the King of Kings, my Jesus. This is the prize Paul spoke of in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Have you had enough of getting up every morning walking into a field of snakes on your own? Wouldn’t you like to have the confidence of the promise of Jesus, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28