Faith Like a Spider Web
I live in the woods. When you live in the woods, you come face-to-face with all varieties of God’s creation. Most are the cute “Awww, look Mom!” species, while others are the gross “Ewww, get Griffin to kill it!” kind. For me, spiders fall in the category of the latter.
A few Saturdays ago, we got a break from the heat and woke to up to cool temperatures. The lower temp inspired me to get out early and wash the windows.
As you may have guessed, I don’t like spiders. They love to take up residence in the corners of windows, so I have to admit that I was looking forward to annihilating them. (I’m sorry if that bothers you.) With great excitement I aimed the nozzle at the corner of the first window and sprayed with all my might – but nothing happened. I need more water pressure, I thought. After turning the pressure to its fullest, I sprayed again – still nothing.
Closer. I need to be closer. I used a step ladder to get me closer. This definitely got me wetter, but did not take down those webs. After a momentary pause to dry myself off, I determined, I want faith like a spider web.
A faith that can withstand low pressure, high pressure, and close pressure. A faith that causes the enemy to rethink his strategy but still fail. A faith as strong as a spider web.
Can I share three interesting facts I have learned about spider webs since my window web washing experience?
Fact 1: Spider web is two words, not one. Not spiritually relevant or applicable – but good to know.
Fact 2: Tensile strength is defined as the maximum stress a material can withstand when stretched or pulled before breaking. The TS of spider silk is greater than the same weight of steel and has just as much, if not greater, elasticity.
Spider silk is under investigation for potential use in bullet-proof vests and artificial tendons. How can this be made possible? The answer to that question is above my pay-grade. But spiritually speaking, I want a faith that can withstand the arsenal of my enemy. I want a flexible faith, not wavering in belief, but willing to move when and where God says, with the confidence that I won’t fall apart.
Fact 3: It is not uncommon for a spider web to be 20 times the size of the spider building it. I want a faith bigger than me. When the storms come, I won’t be destroyed.
Yes indeed! I want faith like a spider web. Lord, these pesky and mostly terrifying creatures have taught me something. Help me build a faith like they build a web, strong and flexible, yet immovable.
Great post Wendy…thank you for sharing!
Blessings, Lynne
Wendy
Thank you so much for this post. The last several weeks it seems like spiders have been in over drive with web making. There was one on our deck that I can see from my kitchen window. It was big and somewhat beautiful for a spider web. My husband would knock it down and the next day another one would be up. Another one more amazing than the last. As I sat at my kitchen table reading my bible and having my time with The Lord I would often look at that web. And oddly I felt like the Lord was trying to show me something. I even journaled about it but nothing seemed to be that, oh that’s what God is saying until I read your post. That’s it! I said out loud. Yes that’s the kind of faith The Lord is calling me to have. And seems to me when you have that kind of faith people take notice and see the glory of The Lord through it even if they never liked spiders in the first place.
Sheila
Dear Wendy,
Here’s a famous story about a spider that saved a country. I trust this would boost you more as it has me. Thank you for what you shared, it has revived and strengthened my faith to stand firm in the uncertain and in the face of attack from the enemy.
Robert the Bruce (and the Spider) (Scotland)
HUNDREDS of years ago there was a king of Scotland and his name was Robert the Bruce. It was a good thing that he was both brave and wise, because the times in which he lived were wild and dangerous. The King of England was at war with him, and had led a great army into Scotland to drive him out of the land and to make Scotland a part of England.
Battle after battle he had fought with England. Six times Robert the Bruce had led his brave little army against his foes. Six times his men had been beaten, until finally they were driven into flight. At last the army of Scotland was entirely scattered, and the king was forced to hide in the woods and in lonely places among the mountains.
JonathanOne rainy day, Robert the Bruce lay in a cave, listening to the rainfall outside the cave entrance. He was tired and felt sick at heart, ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that there was no use for him to try to do anything more.
As he lay thinking, he noticed a spider over his head, getting ready to weave her web. He watched her as she worked slowly and with great care. Six times she tried to throw her thread from one edge of the cave wall to another. Six times her thread fell short.
“Poor thing!” said Robert the Bruce. “You, too, know what it’s like to fail six times in a row.”
But the spider did not lose hope. With still more care, David, age 8she made ready to try for a seventh time. Robert the Bruce almost forgot his own troubles as he watched, fascinated. She swung herself out upon the slender line. Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely to the cave wall, and fastened there.
“Yes!” cried Bruce, “I, too, will try a seventh time!”
David, age 9So he arose and called his men together. He told them of his plans, and sent them out with hopeful messages to cheer the discouraged people. Soon there was an army of brave men around him. A seventh battle was fought, and this time the King of England was forced to retreat back to his own country.
It wasn’t long before England recognized Scotland as an independent country with Robert the Bruce as its rightful king.
And to this very day, the victory and independence of Scotland is traced to a spider who kept trying again and again to spin her web in a cave and inspired the king of Scotland, Robert the Bruce.
God bless
*Here’s a famous story about a spider, that resulted in a country being saved to gain its freedom.