Thought for the Week now has its own web site on www.thoughtfortheweek.co.uk.
Webs remind us of spiders. There are 34,000 known kinds of spiders,
from the speck to the spectacular tarantula! Most spiders possess
an intricate spinneret system which transfers a liquid protein
in the abdomen into a strong, stretchy, sticky, silken thread.
If scientists could copy this process, a climber could carry
a lightweight rope a mile long. He could also climb a mountain
at over 100mph if his strength was proportionate to a spider's!
Another amazing thing about a spider is the advanced chemistry
of its venom. This is designed not to kill its prey but only
to paralyse it. This means that the creature stays fresh until
the spider needs to eat it.
Although most spiders are harmless, in fiction they are often
used to represent that which is sinister and satanic. The spider
depends upon the invisibility of its web to catch prey, whilst
it hides near the edge ready to pounce. Satan is delighted when
people think he doesn't exist because they can't see him. But
he is in control of a global web and many visit his sites! Our
internet is usually used for good purposes but Satan's web is
dedicated entirely to evil. Just as we can see spider's victims
trapped in webs, so sadly we see Satan's victims trapped in
a tangled web of evils from drink and drug addiction to trivialised
sex without love.
Experts say we are always only 1 meter away from a spider!
But Satan is much closer! He whispers seductive temptations
into our hearts then laughs when we yield. So how can we escape
Satan's web? Scripture says, "Resist the Devil, and he
will flee from you." [ James 4:7
] Jesus came to, "Destroy the works of the Devil."
[ 1John 3:8 ] He'll not ignore your
cry for help.
