Traps

There comes a point each summer when they show themselves. Or maybe when they come back, although I suspect they have just been lurking. I like it best when I visually notice them instead of being surprised.

They are my spider friends.

In the evening after it gets dark and with just the right lighting, I can see them building elaborate spanning structures, anchoring them across several feet of patio. I’m still a bit uncertain how the first line gets put down. There are some things that should not be pondered too long.

When I usually notice them is in the early morning when I come out onto the patio for coffee and God. Sometimes, their webs will contain the remains of a midnight snack or an early breakfast. Sometimes I notice them by walking smack into the middle of one.  Not a fan of that.

My reading this morning was from II Corinthians 10, talking about spiritual warfare and taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. That is so difficult and yet necessary. It requires a persistence not unlike that of my spider friends who EVERY night rebuild a web to trap and take captive what they need for nourishment. Every day I need to have in place a way to trap and take captive every thought. If I don’t, I run the risk of a malourished spiritual life – one in which the world drains me of hope and trust. Where I become a captive trapped by my thoughts rather than trapping my thoughts. Where my thoughts are obedient to Christ rather than running amok through the daily news feeds. The only way I can trap instead of being trapped is to daily renew and refresh myself with Jesus and His Word. Then I have the resources to build a web strong enough to trap my errant thoughts and the strength to make them obedient to Christ.

Lord Jesus, lay down the first line for me.