The scars

I read this in another blog, and decided I needed to put it in mine. to remind me....

The 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 as he swam
toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was
swimming toward the shore. His mother in the
house was looking out the window 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 boy 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 boy
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 weeks and
weeks in the hospital the little boy survived.
His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious
attack of the animal, and on his arms, were deep
scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into
his flesh in her effort to hang on to
the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy
after the trauma, asked if he would show him his
scars. The boy 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 Mom wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with 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, my friend,
are because God has refused to let go.

In the midst of your struggle, He's been there
holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God
loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to
protect you and provide for you 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 waiting to attack.
That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you
have the scars of His love on your arms be very,
very grateful. He did not and will not - let you go.

Author Unknown