MARTHA’S MEWS

Vol. 1, No. 4

June 24, 2003

Morning Happy Campers!

Well, today, I have been "mewsing" on the rocks and mountains and trees and valleys shouting praise to God.  I was planning this wonderful "mews" for you when I walked into the kitchen to get some coffee and looked into my kitchen window.

There in the bottom left corner, basking in the glorious sunlight, is a little colony of insects and other creepy-crawlies tangled in a filmy, silky spider web.  I've been reading a biography of Rich Mullins and the more I read of this remarkable young man whose soul desire was to be just like Jesus, the more convicted I am of my own sinfulness.  AND the more challenged I am to reach for that prize of being more like Him.

As I looked at this little savings account of Madame Spider, I saw one little ant struggling mightily.  And then it came to me.  This web is like sin in our lives.  Not one of these little fellas would deliberately wake up in the morning and say "What a beautiful day!  I think I'm gonna go find me a spider web and get tangled up in it and die today."  So how did they get in there?

As easy as ... flying into enemy territory!  The door is open and in they swoop.  They have the whole world outside as their domain and yet they fly into a dark enemy room - why?  "Just a little look around, that's all.  Can't hurt anything, right?"  or "I heard there's food in here.  Honey, fruit, maybe even bread.  It's easy grazing - no work, no hassles, no competition."  And THEN when the door is shut, how do they get out?  They fly towards the "light" in the window and that's it!

In the web are little critters in various stages of sin.  This little ant is a fresh arrival and he is thrashing to beat the band.  This reminds me of the times people have tried to get me to do something really yucky, really OBVIOUS sin.  It's easy to thrash and fight and say no - in the beginning.  Some little insects actually can free themselves in this first stage.

Then, there are two or three guys in their last moments.  They twitch and tug every now and then, but for the most part, they are resigned to their fate.  And some of their company are just plain crusty, waiting to be embalmed and mummified by Madame Spider.

Can you see parallels here?  Getting sucked into sin is SO easy if we're not paying attention.  In this book I'm reading, there is a listing of the "7 deadly sins: pride, envy, anger, lust, sloth, greed and gluttony - OUCH!  "Been there/done that!"  Joyce Meyer defines lust as "anytime a desire gets so big in your spirit that it takes the place God demands" - doesn't even have to be a sexual lust either - could be a bigger house, a bigger bank account, a bigger wardrobe, a bigger position.  Looking into this mirror, I see ME, guilty of all of them at one stage or another.

We, as children of God, have the whole world as our domain - He's given us "all things that pertain unto life and godliness."  Why oh why do the dark rooms of the world entice?  But just like these little insects, people  get trapped in the web of sin and at first, they might even fight a little to get out.  But the pull of sin is strong and it sucks them ever deeper until one day, they are in so deep that the escape route is cut off.

Now here's what Jesus is saying to us, folks.  First of all "BE ALERT" and don't let your enemy trap you with anything that seems too easy - like a dark room with no competition!.  Second, unlike these goofy insects, we KNOW that we can fly towards the LIGHT and get out!  But we fly towards the true Light - Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the Light!"  Don't settle for flashlights when the SON is available to you!

And last and probably even more importantly, our God has made a way of escape for us - I call it "First John One Nine-ing"!  If we get caught in this web, WE can escape by repenting, calling on the Name of Jesus and asking forgiveness.  We do not have to end up as breakfast for Madame Spider or the king rat himself!

I want to challenge you as Rich Mullins has challenged me.  All creation cries out in praise to our God.  OPEN YOUR EYES, and slow down a little bit.  See what God has to say to you and show you today.  He is no respecter of persons - I cannot be the only person on this planet who sees Him in the sea critters or the spider's graveyard!

Nuff said - I'm going swimming.  Love, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost to you and yours today!

Your soon to be embedded Graffiti's cashier,

Martha