Have you ever stopped and watched ants? I don't mean watch it crawl up your leg and bite you. . .no, I mean really stopped long enough to observe them while they are working? They are such awesome creatures that God has so wonderously made....in my opnion anyways. :) They are SO dedicated to their task, they are there to work together and they are SO amazingly strong! This isn't a story really about the amazing ant and wonderful I think they are....though others would disagree to the latter statement....but rather just some awesome inspiration they gave me to share a blog with YOU!
The other day I was out with David, at one of our favorite spots in the woods, picnicing and fishing. I USUALLY don't fish if the fish aren't biting and this was one such day. I let David fish in solitude while I went to explore around. Would you believe I found an ant trail that went on forEVER?!? These were no small ants either. I know the trail had to be something like 66 yards long...at least if not more! It was an amazing trail too! I wasn't even aware that ants could make a trail like humans do! These ants had traveled this same path so many times through the brush and leaves working tirelessly to complete their task at hand. As I watched and walked alongside their path I noticed they were ALL carrying green leaves that were bigger than them at times. It appeared that one such part of their path led right up a tree and back down again. I believe they were taking down that tree bit by bit....henceforth my title came to be. :) Although not necessarily rubber it was indeed a tree!
I watched with curiosity as they all worked together towards one common goal. . .much like us today. We all are working towards a goal. What is your goal(s) in life? We have many. Some want a bigger house, more money, a better job. Or our goals can be more spiritual centered such as sharing God's love, His mercy, His forgiveness and His will with those we love and meet?
While still observing, I learned some different spiritual lessons that can be helpful no matter where you are at in life. 1.) Don't give up!! These ants were determined in their journey and no matter WHAT they met along the way. . .it wasn't going to defeat them. And we see that no matter WHAT God has allowed or placed in your life on your journey there is always victory at the end! 2.) God NEVER let's go of us!! As the faithful ant continued to carry his precious cargo (leaf) he never once dropped it no matter how hard and treacherous the terrain was. And this example gives us a thought of how God - being so very much stronger than an ant - carries us always - never letting us go - no matter how bumpy our path s of life may be. 3.) While walking around, I noticed there was an ant off in the woods and off the path. He seemed to be all alone and on his own path. After awhile, I saw that he was in fact not alone. He met up with others, who like him were tugging and chugging along though still not on the path as well. In seeing this it reminds me of the times I believe that we too feel like we are alone in our struggles-trials-burdens. . .but we are not. There are others who feel the same hurts, the same temptations, the same stuggles as us. Don't ever believe that you are the only one to feel the pain and struggles that you do. We would most likely be surprised at just how many there are that suffer as we do! In watching this same loner ant, I thought of how seemingly alone and so far from the others (though he soon found out he wasn't) he still trudged on with one main purpose in sight. I couldn't help but think to myself how much easier it would be if I could just pick him up and take him to his final destination instead of him struggling tirelessly over the rough terrain. But just as I was thinking that, I seemed to sense that maybe that is just how God feels about us. He is there always watching with a watchful eye - seeing us struggle- even falling at times. He must want to pick us up, dust us off and just take us to our final destination. But in doing that, He knows we would loose so much of who He wants us to become. Our character is shaped, our appreciation is increased and God shapes us into more of His own image through the rough terrain of "life".
And lastly, 4.) Just as the ant faced uncertainties and obstacles that were unknown ahead - we too face our paths of life with the same. But we have HOPE!! Isaiah 49:23c "Those who hope in me will NOT be disappointed." Psalms 54:4 "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me."
There is a saying that I find very helpful in times of facing the unknown and uncertainities of life and it goes like this: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
So......maybe those little faithfully dedicated creatures can teach us a thing or two in life! For even in the Bible it tells us in Proverbs 6:6-7, "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider it's ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores it's provisions in Summer and gathers it's food at harvest." We have something the ants don't.....and that's a Commander, Overseer and Ruler Who loves us dearly and has His very BEST for us. His name is Jesus Christ the Lord of all! :)
As always....thank you SO much for reading and allowing me to share something from my heart with YOU!
Be blessed my friend! :))
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