Today (a few years have passed since then) I did some cleaning up in the lounge room where I have too much stuff – computer gear, files, papers, books, camera items, etc. Then I vacuumed the floor and noticed spider webs around the ceiling and the curtains, and vacuumed the spiders that were there – rather smallish ones. In Australia they are called “daddy longlegs” spiders. While I was sucking them in, I was struck with the thought of their persistence. There is one thing certain – they will be back!  Some thoughts regarding spiders, I felt compelled at the time, to put together:

1. THEY CHOOSE THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS POSITIONS. Most of these today are found up where the ceiling and walls meet, and the best place was in the four top corners of the room. There they get traffic from all positions and take advantage of the corners. There they sit silently and wait, exhibiting great patience.

As Christians, we should always be on the lookout for the most advantageous positions for the work to be done – the gospel outreach and other ministry. I suppose this is a bit like being out on the highways and byways. There is probably too much expended effort in Christian work and money wasted, which is poor stewardship, when we ought to be aiming at the best advantage with the limited resources.

2. THEY CLAIM THE MOST STRATEGIC PLACES. Have you noticed how fond spiders are of lights, and window areas where insects and bugs are attracted by internal lights? Have you noticed how some have taken the best possible positions in tree boughs and between trees, constructing large web areas in the flight paths of insects? One family of spiders fascinates me, and that is the jumping spiders. They are small with perfectly rounded multi-lens eyes, but they know which bush or plant or leaf will give the best results. They wait there, and when a tiny insect comes, not even tiny in some cases, they will jump on the victim.

With our Christian resources, we must make the best strategic use of those resources as possible.  Meaningful, purposeful. We must spread the net wide between the trees. The parable of the wedding feast infers that they must almost be compelled in. That is determination. We must go to the “lights” of this world to catch the lost souls. Jesus did. He associated with the publicans, prostitutes, the needy, and he met people “on their own turf,” I think the expression is. He did not hesitate to speak in synagogues, from boats, on hillsides, outside a tomb, on a well, and at feasts.  Some Christians have laid strategic claim to the Internet in these days with great success. Of course, so has the enemy.

3. THEY WORK ENTHUSIASTICALLY. Have you ever watched spiders make webs? They know the task in hand and work with purposeful enthusiasm until the web has been completed. Up, down, back, forth, in, out. What I like about it is the logical approach they have, not disorganised or higgledy-piggledy.

“Faint not.” We have that in the Word, but so easy is it for us to be distracted by trials and personal matters that we faint along the way, and the task is unfinished. Spiders don’t start the web and then stop in defeatism. It is not webs we make, but the web to the spider is its whole existence. Our whole existence should be to do the will of the Father in heaven, but we lose sight of that goal too often. Yes, there is a lesson here. The spider is so goal-focused. What about us? How do we rate?  Ever heard the term “Fair-weather Christians”?

4. THEY KNOW WHAT PERSEVERANCE IS. Have you ever noticed a spider build a great web in the early evening and gather it up again next morning with nothing caught, and rebuild it later that day? OR some build in the morning for the day? I have. They might do that day after day in the face of danger, storm, wind, and without result, with nothing ensnared. The spider is a wonderful example of endurance.

How much perseverance do we show when we do not get results? I am reminded of the statement about putting the hand to the plow and not turning back. I think there is some sort of flea protection for dogs in Australia with the motto, “keeps on keeping on.” It is that endurance in the face of danger, storm, and wind that makes one a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Especially when there is no tangible result for much expended effort. Remember Noah? 120 years, and not one convert, but did he show faithfulness? Yes, faithfulness and perseverance. I don’t speak this out of achievement – only because I know failure. What a commendation it will be to hear, “Well done, you good and FAITHFUL servant!”

5. PATIENCE IS A DISTINCTIVE QUALITY. A spider might sit in the center of its web hour after hour and looks like it’s dead. Patiently, it just sits and waits. All through the night it will do that. You might think it is asleep, but just tap the web gently and see the immediate response. Perseverance (patience) is commendable.

Patience is a virtue required of Christians. How little we show sometimes when we allow the matters of daily living to get on top of us, or we struggle with victory through tough circumstances. We are currently in the dark night of Christian history with the dawn somewhere ahead. The dawn for us will break with the wonderful rapture of the saints. Until that time we must wait with patience, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus all the time.

“Not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3-5, NASB).

6. SPIDERS ARE NOT WASTERS. When prey is caught, it is not discarded but eaten if the spider is hungry. If there is ample food, then the victim is wound up in silk and stored. One big, yellow-golden banded spider has been doing this around my back patio light. It is an orb-weaver, but the biggest orb-weaver I have is the Golden Orb spider that can have an 8-inch leg span. That is the female; the males are very tiny. (We have lots of spiders here in the tropics.)

Christians are to use resources wisely. Yes, we can look back sometimes and see the wasted years, and the failures, and the questioning episodes we have been through. Remember the commendation for the wise ant in Proverbs that gathers its food. Prov 6:8, “Prepares her food in summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.” We are stewards of all that God has given us – finance, time, folk in our Christian meetings, etc. Let us honor God as faithful, good stewards of all we have.

7. SPIDERS CAN BE USEFUL BUT CAN CAUSE GREAT HARM. All arachnids do a wonderful job of insect and vermin control, but they can leave an unsightly mess around, and get into areas where they are not wanted. We have a redback spider in Australia that can get into cupboards and dark places, but its bite can hospitalize people. It has featured in one of the top-rated country songs of the past called “Redback on the Toilet Seat” by Slim Dusty. Yes, that does happen! North America has its tarantulas. We have trap-door and funnel-web spiders, all dangerous and can be deadly.

Christians can do the cause of Christ great good, but likewise they can do great harm. What is the perception of us? This is one point we should always be aware of. May the name of Christ never be slandered because of us. Another point is this – we have in Australia a large but harmless spider called a huntsman spider, wrongly named by many here, a tarantula, even though no tarantula spiders are in Australia. We may at times be wrongly judged as a tarantula where this verse applies: 1 Peter 3:16, “and keep a good conscience so that in thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ, may be put to shame.” May we never be “biting spiders” in God’s fellowship to cause pain to fellow Christians and cause harm. Watch behavior, tongues and actions.

8. SPIDERS USE A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES. Some build webs; some physically hunt; some hang from threads and wave around; some make holes in the ground; some lurk in the night; some hunt by day; some ‘fish’; some practice net-casting; some spit; some spring/jump on their prey; some hide inside flowers. One amazing spider we have is called “the tent spider.” There might be dozens of them, and they all build together in this great conglomerate of webs that can occupy an area of up to 15 square yards, or up to 6 cubic yards.

Christians should be showing flexibility in ways things are done, in how outreach is conducted, etc.  Of course, we are not talking of compromise here. Sometimes Christians are afraid to venture out of their very small comfort zones. How many ways of outreach can you list?

9. SPIDERS SHOW DISCERNMENT. I have actually tried to fool a spider, which is sitting and waiting in the middle of its web, by tapping part of its web or dropping a small leaf onto the web. The spider was not fooled. It sat there because it did not get the correct vibrations. When an insect landed, off it raced and grabbed it with not the slightest hesitation.

All too often we get fooled by “taps and leaves.” True discernment is a valued quality in the lives of Christians. How often some of us lack it. More than ever we need discernment in this current deluded, devious world. We need it more and more. Wisdom is a desired quality that many Christians lack because I know I do often. We might blunder into something, or digress on the wrong track, or get caught out and tricked. We get fooled by the tapping of the world or by the leaf that falls on us.

10. ENTICED AND DEVOURED! In some species, the female is larger than the male. The male is enticed by the female for mating, which the male seems happy to do, but immediately upon completion, the female kills the male and often eats it. He has been enticed to his doom. In the golden-orb spider I mentioned in “6” above, the female can be over 100 times the size of the male; I have seen accounts where it says up to 300 times. There are many of these tiny things running on the web of the female, wishing to mate with her, but destruction awaits them.

There are two applications here. Firstly, how many Christians have been enticed by sin or by some alluring prospect – not that mating is sin – only to find they have been overcome by it to their downfall? I am reminded here by David and Demas and Judah and Samson and Achan and Gehazi and Ananias and Sapphira. The sad life of Samson is well known. Secondly, you would expect the two spiders to work together for a common purpose, but one proves untrustworthy and devours the other one.  Are Christians any different? Galatians 5:15-16, “But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you do not be consumed by one another. But I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Spiders indeed can teach us. In fact, many things in Nature have lessons for us. I hope this was instructive.

ronaldf@aapt.net.au

 

Romans 8:16-17; “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are Children of God, and if Children, then heirs; heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him, in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” (any emphasis mine)

There are several Christian songs that have the title about our being a Child of the King. The most recent, and performed by many Southern Gospel artists including the Gaither Vocal Band, is by Cindy Walker of Mart, Texas (1917-2006). The chorus of that song is, “Oh Yes, Oh Yes, I’m a child of the King. His royal blood now flows through my veins. And I, who was wretched and poor now can sing; Praise God! Praise God! I’m a child of the King!”

The first song that is on record with this title was written by Harriet E. Buell, and music applied by John B. Sumner in 1877. This one is in several Church hymnals. There are over a dozen other songs with the line, “I’m a/the Child of the King,” and all of them give praise and glory to the Father for His absolute love for us.

In today’s radical world, claiming the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is an invitation to ridicule and persecution. Although this concept is not new, it’s becoming more pronounced daily.

Jesus was ridiculed and eventually crucified due to the actions of the “religious leaders” of His day, even though they did not realize they were fulfilling prophecy. Had they been more well-versed, they may have realized He truly was the Son of God, as was proclaimed by an unnamed Roman Soldier at the moment of Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39 and Luke 23:47).

Prophecy tells of the Messiah coming to earth without all the pomp and circumstance people would expect. Peter tells us that it was known by God before the earth was formed that He would have to provide the “spotless Lamb” to be sacrificed for our sins (1 Peter 1:19-20). Jesus’ first trip to earth was nothing like it will be when He returns to rule in the Millennium.

Isaiah 53 gives us a wealth of information as to how the Messiah would be treated, and what His reactions would be. This was about 700 years before the birth of our Savior on this earth, to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).

He had no stately form or majesty or appearance that would stand out. He was despised and rejected by many. He took the pain and suffering we deserve, and through His wounds we are healed. He remained silent and did not resist the unfair trial, abuse and unfair death that He suffered for our sakes. He was buried in a rich man’s grave.

As a result of our Savior’s perfect sacrifice, eternal life with Him in absolute paradise is possible for every human that will ever have lived, is living now, and ever will live, all the way to the end of the Millennial reign of Jesus the Christ.

The hard part to understand is that it will be a minority of all the people, who will ever live, that will enter Heaven. This is no surprise to the Lord, as He understands human nature better than anyone. I’ve given these verses many times in the past, and it’s still a fact about this sin-filled world. Matthew 7:13-14; “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide, and the way easy, that leads to destruction [Hell], and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, [Heaven] and those who find it are few.”

Prior to Calvary, one had to do the will of the Father and not worship other gods to receive eternal life. That does not mean they never sinned, as all of us sin and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23). It means they knew their shortcomings and would confess and take responsibility for their sinful actions.

From Calvary to today, and continuing to the end of the Millennial Reign, all who have Jesus as their Savior will be saved. Acts 2:21; “And it shall come to pass, that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is also in Romans 10:13.

Everyone – all – no exceptions – that refuse to accept Jesus and the gift He provided through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension back to Heaven will have chosen Hell as their eternal destiny. Revelation 20:11-15 tells of the fate of all who went against the Father, and all who rejected Jesus.

“Then I saw a great white throne, and Him who was seated on it. From His presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small [one’s status does not impress God], standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; Death and Hades [holding places prior to this judgment], and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had [or had not] done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death [eternal], the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he/she was thrown into the lake of fire.”

It should be noted, all who are at this judgment will not be in the Book of Life. They will be shown that they had opportunities while alive to avoid Hell, but through their own actions and failure to receive and accept Jesus, they chose to be there.

God does not want any to fail, as given in 2 Peter 3:9. However, He is fair and just to “allow” our freedom of choice. I praise Him daily that I was allowed to choose My Jesus, and call out to Him to be saved. My daily prayer is that all our loved ones will do the same.

By calling out, I am assured I am a “Child of the King.” My wife also has called out, and it’s comforting to know we will spend eternity with our Lord and Savior.

The Buell/Sumner song starts with praise and glory about our Father, just as Jesus taught us we should do first when we pray. It tells that Jesus can honestly say He understands us, as He lived fully as a human for over 30 years on earth. Although He was still fully God, He allowed Himself to be “lower than the Angels” (Hebrews 2:7) to experience all that we do. Having done so, He has the right to claim all who will call out to Him to be saved. There is a stanza that tells about all being sinners, but are “adopted” when we become a Child of the King. No matter what our living arrangements are in Heaven, they will far exceed anything on earth.

Consider the words to this amazing song:

(1) “My Father is rich in houses and lands; He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hand. Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full; He has riches untold.

(ref) I’m a child of the King; a child of the King. With Jesus my Savior, I’m a child of the King.

(2) My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men, once wandered the earth, the poorest of them. But now He is pleading, our pardon on high, That we may be His when He comes by and by.

(3) I once was an outcast, stranger on earth; a sinner by choice, an alien by birth. But I’ve been “Adopted,” my name’s written down; an heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.

(4) A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a place for me over there. Though exiled from Home, yet still I may sing, All Glory to God; I’m a Child of the King!”

The choice is totally up to each individual – Heaven or Hell. There’s no other way that exists. No one who truly calls out will be turned away; likewise, no one will be forced to do so. Ours is a God of pure love, and it wouldn’t be love if He forced our decisions.

Choose “Life” and “Eternity” with our King of King and Lord of Lords. You will become an heir to the Father the instant you do. Jesus will be calling all true believers soon, to keep us from the coming Wrath (Revelation 3:10). We’re not guaranteed another day here; today would not be too soon to become “adopted.” Hope to see you there!

Ahavah Olin! (Love Everlasting!)

huebshman46@gmail.com