While reading with my daughter we came across this true story during her home school lesson. It was a year ago, but the story has come to mind several times as a reminder of God's ever-present love and care. It is worth it to share and it goes like this:
A man bowed to pray for his friends and fellow Christians who were recently arrested and imprisoned for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He prayed for the prisoners, and their families, and also for those who were persecuting the believers from their little church. The man was the pastor and had just closed the church service in that prayer. Before the congregation was dismissed, two men slowly opened the doors of the church and exited carefully while scanning the area for soldiers who might be hiding nearby. The men motioned for the others to come out and securely move to their homes in the nearby village.
Upon returning home, the pastor opened his bible to study when he was interrupted by a rapid knock at the door. A young boy stood at the doorway completely out of breath and fear swelled up in his eyes. The boy proceeded to warn the pastor that the soldiers were in the village looking for him and that they were on their way to his home. In the distance, the pastor could see the soldiers on horseback already gaining ground. "Trust in God. He will protect us!" said the pastor as he took off running into the woods with his bible tucked firmly by his side.
The horseman reached the empty house and continued to their search into the woods. The pastor ran through the woods to a clearing where there was an old warehouse or empty factory. Inside there was no where to hide. No empty boxes, no piles of rubbish, just an old kiln, like a wood fire oven. With no other options, the man climbed inside of the kiln and lied curled up on the brick floor. Then, along came a spider. It dropped across the opening of the kiln spinning a silky web from side to side with it's delicate talent. Soon the door of the kiln was covered with the intricate design of a spider's web.
"He must be in here," shouted voices as doors were busted open and the soldiers entered the warehouse. The sounds of the soldiers moved closer to the kiln and the pastor struggled to quiet his rushing breath. "It's no use to look in there. He could never be in there just look at that spider's web. He couldn't have gotten in there without breaking it," said an angered soldier as he motioned his pose's search to move on.
The door closed and the footsteps muffled into a flat silence. The pastor paused before safely escaping to thank the Lord for His protection brought by a spider and her "curtain spun of silver". *
A man bowed to pray for his friends and fellow Christians who were recently arrested and imprisoned for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He prayed for the prisoners, and their families, and also for those who were persecuting the believers from their little church. The man was the pastor and had just closed the church service in that prayer. Before the congregation was dismissed, two men slowly opened the doors of the church and exited carefully while scanning the area for soldiers who might be hiding nearby. The men motioned for the others to come out and securely move to their homes in the nearby village.
Upon returning home, the pastor opened his bible to study when he was interrupted by a rapid knock at the door. A young boy stood at the doorway completely out of breath and fear swelled up in his eyes. The boy proceeded to warn the pastor that the soldiers were in the village looking for him and that they were on their way to his home. In the distance, the pastor could see the soldiers on horseback already gaining ground. "Trust in God. He will protect us!" said the pastor as he took off running into the woods with his bible tucked firmly by his side.
The horseman reached the empty house and continued to their search into the woods. The pastor ran through the woods to a clearing where there was an old warehouse or empty factory. Inside there was no where to hide. No empty boxes, no piles of rubbish, just an old kiln, like a wood fire oven. With no other options, the man climbed inside of the kiln and lied curled up on the brick floor. Then, along came a spider. It dropped across the opening of the kiln spinning a silky web from side to side with it's delicate talent. Soon the door of the kiln was covered with the intricate design of a spider's web.
"He must be in here," shouted voices as doors were busted open and the soldiers entered the warehouse. The sounds of the soldiers moved closer to the kiln and the pastor struggled to quiet his rushing breath. "It's no use to look in there. He could never be in there just look at that spider's web. He couldn't have gotten in there without breaking it," said an angered soldier as he motioned his pose's search to move on.
The door closed and the footsteps muffled into a flat silence. The pastor paused before safely escaping to thank the Lord for His protection brought by a spider and her "curtain spun of silver". *
Psalms 8:3-7,9 " When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers; the moon and the stars you have made- I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him! And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels, and placed a crown of honor upon his head. You put him in charge of everything you made; everything is put under his authority. (9) O Jehovah, our Lord, the majesty and glory of your name fills the earth."
It just amazes me of the love God has for every individual. Many times when I read the scriptures and read, "created the Heavens and the earth," or "for God so loved the world.." or "He cares for those..." it puts God's people into a large grouping. The reality is and scripture does tell us too, that God cares for every little detail, watching over that one. Just that one soul is so precious to Him. Even that God sent a spider to this man reminds me of that God watches over the heavens and the earth, the ants and the spiders, the cells and molecules too! Surely, He is watching over me. Surely, He is watching over our children in Ethiopia- wherever they may be.
Francis Chan's book Crazy Love led us to this video that puts the awe in 'awe-some'! Take a 3 minute watch here:
Psalm 145:3 "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom."
"Some people don't like God's greatness. They don't like to feel small even when it comes to God. They want to be in complete control, and they want to be the most important. They may even be so wrapped up in themselves that they don't see God at all. Don't fall into this trap. Enjoy being in the presence of God's greatness. Be glad that you have such a great and all-powerful God who loves you and is taking care of you." - Sarah Young's Jesus Calling
Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"
The Bible tells us that God is all powerful, and because He is God He is all knowing. Knowing everything about everything, even before it happens. Guiding the comets in space, orchestrating the winds and weather, and even knowing the steps of a spider....
*a summary of the original story published by Bob Jones, A Curtain of Spun Silver, Karen Wilt
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