Sunday, July 19, 2009

Lessons From the Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Earlier tonight a friend and I were sitting on my front porch, singing and playing guitar. We were practicing a little worship to do on an up coming missions trip. In the beginning we weren’t being very productive, not really sure why. Finally we got into a groove and had a sweet little jam session sittin’ there.

Then dowwwwwwwwn came the spider. He was hanging from the porch roof, dangling dangerously close. We moved out of his way and left him alone since he wasn’t trying to eat us. After awhile we realized he was building a web as we played our music. (I think we inspired him.)

My friend and I paused a moment to admire his work. He was was swinging back and forth, shooting web left and right. “What if that’s his way of worshipping God?” My friend questioned.

Well, what if? It’s hard work but if that’s all the little guy can do, all he can give, and he did it for the Lord, how beautiful is that? But that’s not completely what I’m getting at.

Fast forwarding to sometime later, once my friend had left, I was texting her. (I do admit I like texting ;) Comes in handy.) I was was saying how I felt better than when we’d first started, yet I wasn’t even sure what we accomplished. I was sure we did something, I just couldn’t see what right now.

Then I thought of the web.

Maybe our work tonight, our work in general, for the Lord whether physically, spiritually or anything, is a little like that web. Each little thing we do is weaving a thread. But its almost an invisible web, very hard to see. It takes time and hard work to make a web.

Sometimes its hard and discouraging  because we can’t see what we’re weaving. But have you ever noticed you need the right lighting to see a web? It seems the best time is sunrise. In the light of the morning sun, spider webs are so beautiful.

Its interesting, I almost wrote a blog about how God and the sun relate, I never finished it, but part of it was how the sunrise is faith, as God is faithful. He also has perfect timing. The sunrise is never late, never early, but its always faithful.

In just the right time, God is faithful to rise and shine His glorious light on our web. All the hard work we’ve done that hasn’t been seen. By us or by others. And in the morning sun it glistens and stands out. All the hard work of a spider is finally showcased in the light of the Creator.

Reminds me of  where in Matthew 6 Jesus’ teaches to give, pray, and basically do things in private and your heavenly Father will reward you. We can’t always see the thread we spin, and others don’t need to, because the God can see them. And He will cause the sun to rise on them in the right time if need be. For some things, you might have to wait for heaven, for other things, just wait for tomorrow.

spiderweb copy

Friday, July 17, 2009

Two Important Words

Many times during Jesus’ time on earth he used a certain two words. He still whispers them to us today.

Follow me.

Those two words are such a great call, such an honor.

Matthew 4:19 - "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

What an honor to be called by Jesus, to be fishers of men. But these words were also said with great cost.

Mark 8:34 - "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Follow me. Two powerful words, really. “Leave everything and follow me,” was Christ’s basic call. The call of Christianity. To be Christ followers. Follow is a verb meaning to come after in sequence.

So you get the idea of following Christ now, right? Now this is my main thought here – If you are following Christ you don’t have to see where you’re going.

That amazed me the other day! It relieved me. I mean, think about it. Do you get it? If your following Christ, spiritually walking behind Him, that means He’s in front of you. He goes before you. You don’t have to see where your going because He’s the one in front of you, He’s forging the way.

All you and I have to do is keep Him in our line of vision. See, I also realized that when your following someone, the closer you are the better. When you leave space, things can pass in front of you. So we have to keep ourselves close.

So in the times you can’t see in front of you, remember we are followers of Christ. Concern yourself with simply staying close, and just following His lead. You don’t have to see, you have to trust.