Deep Scars..

          Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida.  A little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.  In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door.  Leaving behind shoes, socks and shirt as he went.  He flew into the water, not realizing that he swam towards the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming towards the shore.  His father in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer to each other.

          In utter fear, the father ran towards the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.  Hearing his father's voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father.  It was too late.  Just as he reached to his father, the alligator reached him.  From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched the boy's legs.  That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two.  The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go.  Another farmer happened to drive by, heard their shouts, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

          Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived.  His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal.  While on his arms were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into the boy's flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he dearly loved.  The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma asked if the little boy could show him his scars.  The boy showed him the scars on his legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter,

"But look at my arms!  I have great scars on my arms too! I have them because my Daddy love me so much, he wouldn't let me go."

          You and I can relate to that little boy.  We have scars too.  No, not from an alligator or anything quite so dramatic.  But the scars of a painful past.  Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds are because God has refused to let go.  In the midst of our struggle, He's been there holding on to us.  The scripture teaches that God loves us and that we are children of God.  He wants to protect us and provide for us in every way.  But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations.  the swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is just around the corner waiting to attack.  That's when the tug-of-war begins.  If you have the scars of God's love in your arms, be very very grateful because He did not and never will let go..  We can count on it.. ^________^b