The Little Snail that Could

I love having things to stretch my brain around; things I might not have thought to ponder on my own. Here is one such thing:

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."
~Charles Spurgeon~

Snails are slow. Dreadfully slow. Their evil counterparts -- slugs -- eat my hostas and sometimes munch on my lamb's ear, and they are just plain gross. But I digress. The point is, snails are S-L-O-W. This makes me wonder, how did the snail made it to the ark in time? If all the animals got "the call" at the same time, if the lions and horses and monkeys and dogs and birds all got started at the same time as the lowly snail, then HOW did he get there in time? I have a theory...

The snail was slow, so he lived a less hurried, less frantic life. This allowed him time to "be still" and know that God is God. The snail listened carefully to the still small voice of God, so he started his long, slow journey way before those faster four-legged and flying creatures. He knew God's plans for him because he took the time to listen.

Webster's American Family dictionary defines "perseverance" this way:

1) steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. 2) continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

The little snail continued despite the hardships and discouragements he faced. He persevered because he knew that God was with him. Even if he didn't know the hows and the whys, he knew that God was in control. He knew that his difficulties were only temporary and that his troubles would be over when he reached his destination: for him, that was the ark. For us, it's heaven: eternity with God.

Revisit Webster's second definition for a minute. God's grace never ends. It is with us always, and because of that continuing state of grace, we will have eternal salvation. In Titus 3:7, Paul reminds us that "[God] generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."

I never thought I'd say this about a mollusk, but I want to be like that little snail. A visit to Wikipedia revealed that snails are extraordinarily diverse in habit, and can be found in a wide range of different environments, including deserts and even "the abyssal depths of the sea". That means we can all be like the snail: we can persevere no matter who we are, no matter where we live, no matter what the circumstances-- even if we are in the figurative desert of our lives or when we feel that we are in the abyssal depths of the sea.

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

To see what others have written about today's "in other words", visit Deborah at Chocolate and Coffee.