Preparation and hope, another lesson from the spider
I watched the spider again last night. There is a light at the front of the apartment building that shines on our side of the building. I can see the outline of the spider as he gingerly but deftly goes around this wonderful web he has produced. I watched as his back legs reached for the silk from his spinnerets and put it exactly in the spot that the spider’s nature dictated. Each fine line of the web is perfectly placed and this flimsy web holds this seemingly gigantic spider and does not break.
When God created the earth and everything in it, he gave commandments to every living thing to multiply and replenish the earth and to function in their respective realms so that this Earth would be a wonderful place for man to live. All the fruits and trees and grasses and plants of every kind giving seed of its kind, all the animals and birds reproducing according to the eternal plan, and He even gave the same commandment to the spiders and other things that make my flesh crawl when I see them and I don’t like being stung by them. He gave me this spider to study and to learn from.
The spider was outlined by the light in a silhouette and it embodied the hope that some bug would venture through the screen to be in the web. I can still observe the entire screen and there is literally no hole really big enough to accommodate an interloper big enough to give the spider a decent meal. Yet the spider waits there, statue still, full of hope, for a meal to come by.
So, my wonderful grandsons, who will hopefully one day read my thoughts and ramblings about daily life on a mission, what lessons can you take from this spider?
The Spider is involved in meticulous preparation.
Preparation is something in which you have been involved from your birth to this moment in your life. I hope that you are preparing to serve as missionaries for the Lord.
The spider exhibits great hope.
The prophet Moroni taught ,”I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith , save ye shall have hope?
And what is it ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of our faith in him according to the promise.
Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.
And again, behold I say unto you, that he cannot have faith and hope save he shall be meek and lowly of heart. Moroni 7:41-43
The spider exhibits faith that his creator will not let him starve, but will supply his wants and needs as he (the spider) fulfills the measure of his creation.
Ethan and Oliver, I have great faith in you and great hope for you that you will walk in the ways of the Lord. I am your grandmother and I love you very very much.
God loves His Creation, even this spider building a web in my window, and I have learned a lot from contemplating the spider and his web and his patience and preparation. I hope that you are able to catch this vision as well.
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