Dreaming of Snakes

I wasn't consciously afraid of snakes when I was young. I had seen a few garter snakes around the farm and, later, in our backyard, and I was usually curious enough to take a look at them--from a distance. But when I was about five or six, I started dreaming about snakes. Actually, they weren't dreams at all; they were full blown nightmares.

Sometimes, when I was in that state of consciousness right between wakefulness and sleep, my mind would play tricks on me, and I was sure I saw snakes on the floor or in my brother's bed, across the room. The worst times, though, were when I dreamed of snakes in my bed.

One night, everyone in the family was asleep when I woke up screaming. Dad rushed into our bedroom, clad only in his underwear, wondering what was the matter. When I cried out about the snakes in our room, he turned on the light to show me that there were no snakes, only Danny's socks lying on the floor next to his bed. I calmed down enough to go back to sleep that night and, thankfully, my snake nightmares soon went by the wayside.

Fear of snakes is nothing new. Since Adam and Eve first encountered the serpent in the Garden of Eden, countless people have been afraid of snakes. Genesis not only portrays snakes as the craftiest of all the wild animals God made, it also introduces that serpent as the tempter, Satan himself, who convinced Adam and Eve to sin by eating the forbidden fruit. As a result, God cursed that snake, and all of its kin, to crawl on their bellies, also predicting hostility between its offspring and the woman's. He was referring to Jesus when he said that "He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (See Genesis 3.) Consequently, we shouldn't be too surprised that so many people, of all ages, aren't too fond of snakes.

But they are beautiful creatures, just the same, as long as they don't get too close.

 

My sister, Laura, captured this picture of a Common Garter Snake.

Not too long ago, I discovered that one of my young granddaughters has been having her own recurring nightmares about snakes, just as I once did. Childhood nightmares are all too common, but it seems like a strange coincidence that she, too, would dream of snakes. It makes me wonder if even the content of our dreams can be hereditary. Whether it is, or not, I hope that she will soon learn to trust the one who created even scary snakes.

This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you...Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night.

Psalm 91:2-3a, 5a 

             

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 

Psalm 56:3