Love Clears the Spiderwebs

We went for a hike the other day. The air was cool, but heavy with dampness from an overnight rain and mist rose from the ground. The sun was shining and the trees were glistening, almost dancing with the sparkly reflection of the mid-morning rays of light on the leaves laden with water drops. Periodically we would happen upon an intricate spider web woven the evening before. Suspended in mid-air and gloriously displayed by the filtered sunlight. It was hushed out there, with only our voices to break the silence; the wet ground absorbing our footsteps.

My husband led the way. Probably because he wanted to set the pace and I am much slower than he is.

The trail was not well maintained. There were trees down we had to climb over and much overgrowth that whipped at our legs and faces, raining showers upon us as the leaves let go of their rain drops. But my husband led the way, breaking or moving stray branches to make my path clearer. He led the way, taking the brunt of the water showers! He led the way, helping me when the trail became difficult and pointed out the blue blazes that marked our path so we wouldn’t get lost. He led the way pointing out the poison ivy and other dangers to steer clear of. And more often than not, we did not see the spider webs. More often than not, as Blake led the way, he got a face full of sticky, stringy web as he walked through it. A stick became a handy thing to twirl ahead to clear the webs and for the next several miles we hiked, he led the way and twirled the stick. Somewhere along the way I thought “This is love. Love leads and clears the spiderwebs out of the way. Love leads.”

 I mentioned this to my husband and he laughed. But I pondered this idea of love leading the way.

Jesus says “Come Follow Me.” Does this not imply then, that Jesus leads? Jesus loves and Jesus leads.

The path of life is not always an easy one to travel. It is often marked with obstacles that cause us to stumble or may seemingly block our way. Our path is littered with debris that whips at our feet and faces and dumps unexpected rain into our lives. We often encounter things that seek to entangle us and trap us and will cause us to stop short and say “eewe yuck” as we clear our faces of the stickiness.

When Jesus invites us to “come follow” Him, He’s inviting us to walk our journey, walk our path of life with Him. He is inviting us to know that we do not journey alone. If we are following Him, this means He’s leading. This does not mean our paths will be easy. It means that He will be just enough ahead to point out the dangers.

Just enough ahead to hold out His hand to help us through the hard parts.

Just enough ahead to point the way.

Just enough ahead to clear the path of those things that seek to entangle.

Ah, but not so far ahead that we cannot carry on a conversation. Never during our hike did my husband get so far ahead that I could not simply speak in a normal tone of voice and he would hear me. Jesus loves when we talk with Him. He is never so far away that He cannot hear us.

As we hiked that morning and my husband led the way and cleared the spider webs, I became so thankful for his love. Through my husband’s love declared in the clearing of the webs, I became so thankful for the reminder that when Jesus leads, His love clears the path too. When Jesus says “Come follow Me,” His love for us leads us to the Father. His love leads us to peace that surpasses all understanding. His love leads us to healing and forgiving and finding comfort. His love leads us to assurance of life with Him.

If we but follow.

 Lord, we are so thankful for Your love that leads. Teach us to follow.  

 Love and blessings,

Denise