Spider

(God) takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. —Psalm 147:10b

My track coach in high school dubbed me "Spider" because I had skinny legs. The moniker stuck with me until I went off to college. I was glad to leave it behind. 

It delights me to know that God is not impressed by the size and strength of my legs, especially now that I'm old and my "youthful hose, well saved, are a world too wide for (my) shrunk shank." In fact, though God loves me, He isn’t impressed with any attribute or ability that I possess.

Psalm 147, the poem in which this verse is imbedded, is all about what God is doing: He builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel; He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds; He counts the number of the stars; He calls them by name; He covers the heavens with clouds; He provides rain for the earth; He  makes grass grow on the mountains; He gives food to wild animals and the young ravens that cry (147:2-4; 8,9). God does all these things by Himself; He doesn't need anything from me to get His work done (147:10). Out of His love and mercy He offers to use me, but it's not "as though He needs anything at all" (Acts 17:25).

You may recall a story I've told more than once about a day on which I returned to Boise having been away for a week or so. I was praying with Carolyn that evening, thanking God for taking care of things while I was gone. Carolyn chuckled. “What’s up?" I asked. "Well," she replied, with a twinkle in her eye: "Who do you think takes care of things while you're here?" 

Exactly. 

David Roper

7/14/16