A Spider’s Web (Author Unknown)
A young soldier found himself in a terrible battle during the Scottish Reformation. The enemy was soundly defeating this young man’s army. He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle field in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives. The enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms.
He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies. He also made a bargain with God. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days.
When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He thought, “I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?”
His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him.
And soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave’s entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.
As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider’s web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, “There can’t be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider’s web to enter the cave. Let’s move on.”
Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal. He wrote:
“Where God is, a spider’s web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider’s web.”
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- related story: praying to say the right thing
- story source: a spider’s web
- picture source: spider web
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Life is like a spider web, we are all connected in the chain of life!
may your day be a pleasant one
8 comments
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January 30, 2012 at 4:34 am
renxkyoko
Oh, I knew it ! ! The spider web would save him ! ! Thanks for sharing !
January 30, 2012 at 11:55 am
Fergiemoto
Mind shift – something so delicate can end up saving us. I enjoyed the story!
January 30, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Sue Dreamwalker
Thank you for sharing that story with us ~Art.. we are all of us connected with animals and insects as yourGeronimo story showed us the other day 🙂
January 30, 2012 at 2:33 pm
annedearle
This was the Scottish king, Robert the Bruce – a good story
January 30, 2012 at 2:37 pm
granbee
Oh, my goodness, gracious, the wonderful saving grace of that spider and his weaving!
January 30, 2012 at 4:21 pm
willowdot21
and like a spider’s we are all intertwined xx
February 1, 2012 at 7:36 am
Jackie L. Robinson
Love the beauty and grace of the spider web. Have one here on my desk that is etched in glass…a reminder of how we are all connected and the ways beauty and creativity are woven into our lives. xoxo
March 16, 2013 at 1:55 am
WordsFallFromMyEyes
Beautiful message, beautiful – is as a stone wall. Beautiful, Art, and highly comforting.