Coco Calling No.277 - A Lesson from Limpets

Image by Franck Barske from Pixabay

The Isles of Scilly have a wonderful array of unspoilt beaches where God’s creation has carried on, undisturbed, since the beginning of time. Being a parrot, I like to test everything out with my beak, but there’s always been something that’s got the better of me on the Scillies, -and that is the humble limpet. Because try as I may, I have never been able to prise any off their rocks, and because of that, I’ve very much come to admire them. For these aren’t just marine molluscs. They are ‘Limpets of Character.’ They hold on with a grim determination as the mighty waves of Winter storms come crashing down around them. And then, at low tide in the heat of Summer, they have to endure the burning hot sun, and still they continue to hold fast, showing the most extraordinary resolve, determination and resilience.

Life for many Christians is much the same. The storms of Life try to wrench us free from our rock of Salvation, while a million temptations work to lure us away, only to then leave us in a crumpled heap, both helpless and vulnerable. To be a Christian, we all have to be like these ‘Limpets of Character,’ holding on to our faith through thick and thin until we eventually find our Salvation through Jesus.

So I suppose that the big question for me today is whether I’m a ‘Parrot of Character’? Am I immovable? Am I unshakable? Am I welded to my seed of faith? Or did I crunch that up a long time ago? Oh dear. Me and my big beak….

“It is the limpet’s life to cling to the rock, and it is the sinner’s life to cling to Jesus. Thousands of God’s people have no more faith than this; they know enough to cling to Jesus with all their heart and soul, and this suffices for present peace and eternal safety. Jesus Christ is to them a Saviour strong and mighty, a Rock immovable and immutable; they cling to Him for dear life, and this clinging saves them.”                                          

(Charles Spurgeon: [1834-1892]: English Baptist preacher, still referred to today as ‘The Prince of Preachers.’)

“I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” 

(George Muller: [1805-1898]: German born Pastor and evangelist who founded an orphanage in Bristol, UK, and who was one of the founding members of the Plymouth Brethren movement).

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”                                                                                             (James 1:12)

 

Next Week: We’ve got something a little bit different. One of my regular blog readers, -Tracey Barton, -is writing a ‘Guest Blog’ about her recent trip to Tasmania. It means I put my scaly feet up for a bit!