Laced With Grace

Jim Stafford had a song many years ago called Spiders and Snakes. One line in the song went like this…”I don’t like spiders and snakes and that aint what it takes to love me.” I just never could figure out why anyone would put the word “love” in the same sentence as the words “spiders” and “snakes”. I don’t LIKE either one of them, let alone LOVE them! Most people feel the same way I do.

One evening I was sitting in the family room with my son when we heard a death-like scream come from the bathroom. My young daughter was taking her evening bath when she began screaming at the top of her lungs. You know the kind of scream I am talking about…the kind that sends goosebumps up and down your spine for you know something horrific has happened. I began to run down the hallway with my son at my heels. As I got to the bathroom, I found her standing up in the tub, screaming. Afraid that she had somehow burned herself on the hot water or something, I screamed back at her, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” To which she replied, “there’s a bug over there!”

As I turned around, I saw it. I saw the thing that hurled my daughter into screams. The thing that caused my heart to race and panic was a mere little spider. Once I was releaved that my daughter was not hurt, I began to chuckle as I thought about all of the ruckus being made only because of a little itsy bitsy spider.

Luke 10:18-20 (NLT)
“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

With just one step I was able to crush that spider that day. Once the spider was smooshed, the screams stopped and my daughter became calm. I’ll never forget the look of pure astonishment on her face as she realized that the very thing that frightened her was taken care of with just one step. I guess it never occurred to her that she was bigger than that little spider or that she had more power. Her fear magnified the size of that spider and it left her feeling powerless.

Satan has a way of making us feel that way also. His attacks may not come in the form of a snake or a spider, but he does have ways to cause us to fear. But the above passage says that God has given us authority over the enemy and we can walk among the snakes and scorpions and crush them! That means that those things that leave us tossing and turning at night, the things that we fear, we have authority over it, we can walk thru it and come out victorious because God is with us!

Wasn’t God with Daniel in the lions den?
Wasn’t God with Jonah in the great whale?

Both of those seem pretty scary to me! So why do we doubt that God can be with us in the things that we fear?

2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Do you have something that is gripping you with fear today? Step on it. Crush it. Smoosh it. It has no power over you, you are bigger than your fear because God has given you a spirit of power, love and a sound mind!

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One of my passions is writing fiction. In a writer’s world we are the masters of the pen (actually a computer keyboard but that didn’t sound as cool). We create these characters through various techniques and tell them what to do.

But then they take on a life of their own and begin to tell us what the story is about. This can be quite fascinating, like sitting at movie, watching the story unfold. Other times it’s frustrating because these life-like characters make bad choices or behave poorly (there’s always at least one), resisting our intended purpose for them.

When I think of writing like this, I wonder about what God must see. We are like the characters of His story, created with His purpose in mind. Yet we have free will and the ability to choose poorly or wisely.

God gives us that room, though I know we must frustrate him terribly at times. The Israelites certainly did. But part of the joy I experience in writing a powerful scene with my characters is seeing them grow and embrace God’s love and truth. There’s a sense of victory there even though these characters exist only in my head.

I remember as a kid imagining these scenes where the heroine (usually me) persevered and made this huge impact or discovery. I walked into the sunset as a new inspiration to my fellow underdogs (the theme of many teen movies).

The funny part of all this is, the longer I write and study the books and movies that are popular, the more I find a universal theme there—of a nobody discovering they have some kind of special gift that helps them save the day. A gift that comes from somewhere outside them and suddenly this feels-like-a-nobody character is someone unique.

Now the amazing part. This is a story theme that has existed for thousands of years. The one I like best? The one in the Bible.

Jesus was just an ordinary carpenter. He didn’t look like much to those who resented and envied Him. He didn’t appear a whole lot different from the men He walked with. He started out as a nobody in the eyes of those around Him. But to know Him was to know He walked in greatness and humility.

He walked this earth like a man, yet within He held a power to “save the day.” And every person who knows Him.

His is the story of the ultimate Messiah, the one true Savior of the world. He was and is the true Hero of the story—of the world and of our lives.

And the absolutely mind-blowing final part? Jesus lives in us, changing us from nondescript nobodies to uniquely gifted individuals created to fit into a true story.

His story.

What’s your favorite book or movie? Can you find a universal theme?

Praying and believing,
Dineen

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Today I want to share some words that minister to my heart. Be sure to listen to the great song at the end.

My Help and My Deliverer (Psalms 40)

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!

5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!

12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!

14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!

15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!

Thank you Lord when I am poor and needy you hear my cry. Thank you for loving me in my weakness and may my lips never be restrained in sharing your goodness, mercy, and salvation.