The Elusive Spider

At least every other morning when I go to make my coffee I find there is a spider's web between the top of my coffee maker and the cabinet above. I take a cloth and wipe the web away and look for the spider who's responsible. I have emptied the cabinet of the glasses and cups that reside there. Still I have not seen the Elusive Spider. But he's there! I know he's there because I see his workmanship in the web he weaves. Sometimes I wonder why he picks this spot over and over. Maybe it's the warmth of the coffee pot or the sunshine that always comes in this window in the early morning. Whatever it is, he's hooked on it.

As I went about the task of tearing down and cleaning up the spider's web a few days ago I began to think about spiritual "cob webs" in my life. The Bible talks about the sins that "easily beset us"....meaning that each of us has some sin that is hard to get rid of. A sin that, like the spider's web in my kitchen, keeps coming back over and over even though we try to tear it down religiously!

Each of us may have a different sin that is so hard for us to give up. To those around us it may show up LARGE...perhaps in the form of some kind of addiction. Or to others it may be invisible....and yet be something that keeps us torn up inside all the time. Whether it is big or small, it will keep us from totally serving God in the way we should. And Satan is the Elusive Spider that keeps coming back day after day and spinning a web of deceit and lies and temptations in our lives. On our own we can't get rid of these spiritual "cob webs" but we have a Mighty God that can!

So don't give up! If you have a "besetting sin" that seems to constantly weave it's web around your soul, be assured that there is a Power that can break those bonds! The Power that brought Jesus out of the grave is the same Power available to us today! What an awesome God we serve!

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...." - Hebrews 12:1-2

I'll keep looking for the the Elusive Spider in my kitchen but until I find him I'll just keep tearing down his web and cleaning up after him. And we need to do the same in our spiritual lives. It may seem hopeless sometimes but don't give up friends! We may not conquer our besetting sin tomorrow but just keep looking for the source of the cob webs and asking God to help you clean up the mess left behind.

I found a verse in Zephaniah 3:17 earlier this month that just made me smile with happiness. It tells some ways that God expresses His great love for us. Read it for yourself and see: "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing."

I hope you have a wonderful day resting in the knowledge that God is with you, He is mighty, He will save you, He will rejoice over you, you can rest in His love, and He is so happy about you it makes Him sing! Wow!

~Marilyn~