Standing Firm

A Ghost Crab on St. George Island

     As I looked through my pictures from our family vacation, I came across one that made me smile. Good old Mr. Ghost Crab who lives on St. George Island made his unexpected appearance under my husband's beach chair and refused to move.  He was a good sized fellow as Ghost Crabs go with a nice sized claw which none of us wanted to experience.  We moved some things under our canopy to give him a way to escape and picked our feet up as my daughter in law used a "boogey board" to make him depart.  A little nudge sent him running sideways (their usual method of running) near my son's sandal.  For some time, he sat there looking at all these intruders around him.  Eventually, he disappeared likely digging another hole in the sand around us.
     Later in the day, I saw two good sized Ghost crabs fighting over territory.  One crab found another too close to his hole and chased him away.  It was a sight to see, and it got me to thinking.  Near our canopy on the beach was a big old hole.  I suspect that our visitor came to chase us out of his territory as he did not want to move until urged to do so.  Here we were much larger than he by a country mile but that did not stop his attempt to drive us away from his home.  I have to hand it to God!  His creation has a lot to teach us about taking a stand.

Running for cover by a sandal

     In many of his letters to believers, the Apostle Paul wrote to encourage them to stand firm in their faith.  Ephesians 6:11 says: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  Here we are warned to watch out for the schemes of the devil, but with the full armor of God, we will be ready.  Then, in verse 13 of the same chapter, we read:  "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  Being ready for the day of evil is why we are wearing God's armor.  He does not ask us to fight but to take a stand just as the ghost crab took a stand.  The crab was defending his home.  We are to stand to renounce the schemes of Satan and his lies that try to undercut God's Word.
      When I think about standing, who could not think about David and Goliath.  Everyone was afraid of this giant who was the champion of the Philistines, but he made fun of the God of Israel.  While the soldiers would not go out and fight him, David had the courage to take his sling and a stone to fight him.  He took a stand for God's honor and glory.  Goliath was certainly much bigger and more intimidating than David, but David plus God made a majority.
      Another example is the Prophet Elijah.  He stood against Ahab and the prophets of Baal.  It was no small thing to invite all the people to gather for a demonstration of who was the real God in heaven.  Elijah had faith in what God would do, and indeed, he succeeded.  The prophets of Baal tried everything to get their false god to light their sacrifice, but nothing worked.  Elijah even poured water on his sacrifice and all the stones around it; yet God instantly devoured the sacrifice and the stones.  Because Elijah took a stand, the people knew who the true God of Israel was that day.
     While we may never have to face a giant or 400 false prophets, we still live in a very contentious society where Scripture is twisted to make certain activities seem legitimate and lies pass for truth.  People call evil good and good evil in our present age.  The value of human life is diminished each day, and others believe we can control the climate though we did not make the earth, the seasons or anything on the earth.  This is where we have to take a stand for the truth of God's Word.  He has called us to stand firm fully clothed in His armor.  The battle belongs to God but the victory is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.  It requires courage in the face of the world's opposition but we know that in the end, the Lord will reward those who remain faithful.  If a Ghost Crab can face down six adults larger than he is, we certainly can stand in the power of God to face the schemes of the devil.  Selah!