Just to be certain, I stood back up on my board and paddled a little closer for a better look. Yep, it was a water moccasin. I don't know much about water moccasins other than they are poisonous. When I told a couple of people what I saw, they warned me that water moccasins are aggressive and will come after you (one woman said she even saw one make a 180 and started coming straight for her boat!).
When I approached it, I noticed it was continuing to swim away from me instead of turning on me (thank God!). I was strangely calm despite my extreme fear of snakes. Perhaps that is because I know this truth:
You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path. Psalm 91:1-13 (MSG)
