This morning the Lord woke me early. Well, earlier than normal…I am ex-military and am often told that my early and the rest of the world’s early are two very different time frames. Normally, when this happens I am ashamed to say I grumble like my second grader for “a few more minutes,” snuggle tightly into my husband’s warmth and, well, tell God to bug off until my usual 0530 wake up.
I am happy to say that today I was obedient. When my eyes popped open at 0445, instead of grumbling and rolling over, I asked, “What do you have to tell me today, Lord?”
His answer? “Plenty.”
So I roll out of bed and bound down the stairs. I break out Charlie’s cozy blue Snuggie (these are awesome by the way) and curl up on the couch with my new Bible study (“Live Intimately: Lessons from the Upper Room”), my Bible, my pretty prayer journal that I got at our retreat in November, and an open heart and mind. And I dig in…I tear into the scripture, I madly jot answers and notes…really one of the best quiet times I have had in years. It was awesome!
Then, just as I am pondering an additional scripture reference….an uninvited guest joins my quiet time….and, well…it wasn’t so quiet anymore…
Across the pages of John 13:7-9 walks a ginormous, hugemongous spider….I ain’t gonna lie, ladies, I went full on girly-girl. I shrieked like a banshee and threw the Good Book as far off my lap as I could heft it, jumped up, grabbed a house shoe and proceeded to beat the tar out that spider.
Uh-Oh…metaphor for life alert.
How many times have I abandoned the shelter of the Word of God because the message was something I didn’t want to hear or see? Because in my feeble mind, I was too afraid, too immature, too….undisciplined. Oh, too many to count. Like the spider crawling across the Bible, I use fear as an excuse to run away, or worse…to squash the messenger.
I felt the sudden tug of a repentant heart. Repentance far beyond, “Lord, I am sorry I killed your spider…and threw your book on the ground,”
but more like-
“Oh, MY GOD, I am sorry that I run from your difficult messages. From my ugly places. From the light that you shine on my strongholds of sin. Please, forgive me for lack of discipline, my lack of strength, my lack of obedience. Fill me with Your light, Your strength, Your will. I’m scared to look…but I am ready. Show me.” What I beautiful time I had with the Lord…scary, but beautiful.
Ok…so wanna hear even more God-coolness? In my brand new, super pretty, extra girly prayer journal every even page has a scripture verse. I opened the journal to write this epiphany down. And I see:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”- Psalm 51:10
Wow…I guess eight legged creatures are good for more than just killin’ mosquitoes afterall….
Has God showed you a life lesson through “metaphor” lately? I’d love to hear it!
God always speaks to me while gardening. Just last night I contemplated writing about what God was showing me while I was digging up weeds. Hopefully, I'll get to writing today. My blog is http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI love your metaphors.. Isn't it great how God can use such simple things right before us to reveal Himself to us. I loved the blog on beauty also. That's a keeper to remember.
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for this! Thank you for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteMy latest analogy came from an American flag hanging across the street. It's all lit up at night. Yesterday the wind was blowing and whipping it all over the place. What I realized is that when the storms of life are blowing all around on us we only have to concentrate on one thing: The Light of Jesus!
Have a great time at the wedding!
-Melissa
I think it's just fine to abandon the comfort of God to due battle with a spider. As for the spiders that pop up in Scripture (as opposed to on it), I'm right there with you.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your story. I love metaphors and find the gospel reflected all around me often. But I do get lazy, and your experience was today's reminder to pick it up and pay closer attention, to listen and seek more deeply what the Lord has for me to learn and understand. I am afraid of the ugliness I find in my soul sometimes, and ashamed, but I do know that God loves his children, with all their ugliness, and will make us beautiful if we will let him. Thanks.
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