Barnacles and...Peanut Butter??

In learning more and more about God's character each day, I couldn't help but think of barnacles.  I have absolutely no idea why these minute little creatures came to mind, but God has a reason for everything that He's created--to point to His splendor and glory.  After doing a bit of research, I started to see why these tiny creatures remind me of God's character and what my response to Him should be.  Barnacles are exclusively marine animals that have hard shells; they're actually in the crab and lobster family.  They are also known as "encrusters" because they attach themselves permanently to a hard substrate--unfortunately for some that means their boat instead of the nearby rock.  This natural adhesive that holds them firm is known to be one of the strongest natural adhesives.  The barnacles also have many predators; starting to sound familiar?

Wonder how long these barnacles have been on here...

We are called to be like the barnacles.  Great, you think to yourself, she's telling me that I need to live in a shell attached to a rock in the sea.  No, not exactly.  God is referred to as a rock several times throughout the Bible; take a look:

     Deuteronomy 32:4--He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.  Everything he does is just and fair.  He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!

     1 Samuel 2:2--No one is holy like the LORD! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

     2 Samuel 22:2-3--[David] sang: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.  He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence."

     Psalm 62:6-7--He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

     Matthew 7:24-25--Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock.

Jesus himself even calls us to be like barnacles--don't believe me, read that last passage again.  Why live in the sand, when you can be anchored to an unwavering, unchanging, unshakable Rock?  When the barnacle attaches to the rock, it never leaves.  Everything that it needs to stay alive is available to it from that same place for as long as it lives.  All that we ever need is found in our Rock.

Not to mention, God promises to stick close to us with a glue that's even stronger than the natural adhesive of the barnacle.  Whenever I remember this verse I think of a song from when I was younger by Steve Green; in listening to the song again, it's a bit cheesier than I remember, but the meaning is still true (not to mention the song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2iLY_BQ4wg).  The verse is Proverbs 18:24 and it says, "There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."  Regardless of where we fail or we come "unglued," God promises to stick closer than a brother.  Forget Gorilla glue, duct tape, or even peanut butter--our God sticks closer than any of that!  Pretty cool, huh?

So those little pesky crustaceans have a purpose after all.  They point us to the mighty power and splendor of the Lord, remind us to set up camp on the Rock and never leave, and show us that our Father sticks closer and more permanent to us than the leading natural or artificial adhesive.  He always did say that no creature was too great or too small.  So, are you on the Rock or the sand?  Is life coming unglued because you're not clinging to the Super glue?  Are you still wandering from place to place looking for all you need instead of staying on the Rock?  Try being a barnacle for a while and let me know how it works out for you.  I'd be willing to bet He won't fail you!