Grace For The Journey

  I read something interesting the other day.  In 1306, while Scotland was at war with England, Robert the Bruce became king of Scotland.  Legend says there was a time when Robert took refuge in a cave to hide from the armies of England, and while in the cave he saw a spider trying to attach its web to a ceiling beam.  Over and over, the spider tried and failed.  Eventually, however, the creature succeeded in its task.

After a number of battles, Robert the Bruce led his men in the Battle of Bannock-burn in 1314. It was there where Scotland won its independence.  This story of the spider is captured in the very familiar maxim . . . “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

Now, that phrase sounds like it came out of the current “positive-thinking” movement.  Christian believer, I want you to carefully consider this – there is a biblical truth here:

Your life is to be defined by

Not by how many times you get up

It is defined by what you

Let God do with Your life.

Or, put another way . . .

Trust In God’s Design

And

Lean On His Power!

It’s as simple as that!  To be sure, God has called you into His perfect plan for your life, but make no mistake, along the way – perhaps even today – you will get knocked down.  During the years I was playing sports, I heard this maxim over and over from my coaches: “falling isn’t failing unless you fail to get up!”

The Bible exhorts us in Proverbs 24:16, “Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.”

So, regardless of the personal, professional, or relational difficulties you may be facing today – perhaps, like Robert the Bruce, you find yourself in a proverbial “cave” of conflict or confusion – remember the story of the spider.  God has called you to be a spider-saint. Never give up and never give in!

The Bible is chock-full of examples of those who did not succeed at first … or on the second attempt … or even the third time.  You do remember Peter denying his Lord in the courtyard, don’t you?  Yet, our Lord would not let him stay down.  God helped Peter back up and set him right back into kingdom work by causing Peter to take his focus off his failure and put it back where it belonged – on Jesus.

God says in Isaiah 41:13, “I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’”

Look today to the only One

Who can bring you both

The encouragement and

The power you need,

No matter what “cave”

Is currently enclosing you.

Remember . . .

“If at first … or second … or third … you don’t make it,

Look to God and He will help you up!”

God has given you everything you need to be a spider-saint,

So keep trusting in God’s design for you and His power in Christ!  In the end, you will be glad you did and God will get the glory.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”