Some years ago, on a hot summer day in Florida a little lad decided to go for a swim in the lake 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 realising that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.
His mother was looking out of the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little lad became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.
From the dock, the mother grabbed her little lad by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.
A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after many weeks in hospital, the little lad survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. Also, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails had dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the lad after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The lad lifted his pant 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 mum wouldn’t let go.’
I think we can all relate to that little lad, because we all have scars, don’t we? Not from an alligator, or anything like that, but the scars of a painful past or a bad experience. And some of us have other marks, those that are there because the Big Man never let go!
The Good Book is clear that God loves you, and He wants to be part of your life.
Listen: once God steps into your story, He won’t let go! And you’ll have the marks to show to others, just like that little lad!
Barry