I sat and listened to the preacher preach a few weeks ago. It was a Wedensday evening revival meeting service. I really hadn't expected to hear from the Lord when I went to this revival. I just went to be going. But suddenly, the message took a turn. It was a message about the struggles that we find ourselves involved in and the plan that God has for our lives when we go through the heavy trial.
The children of Israel had come again to the crossing of the Jordan. It was now time to pass this obstacle. The priests had already stepped into the river and God had parted the water for the people of God to pass through. God spoke to Joshua and told him to have a member of every tribe to take a stone from the river and use it to build a memorial. I had always visualized a pile of stones, looking somewhat like a pile of rip-rap alongside the river. But this wordsmith drew a picture that is still vivid in my mind. These were not small stones, but massive stones that were used to build walls. They were quite heavy as they labored to get them out of the river. It seemed that the memorial was not going to be placed until they reached the place where they were going to camp for the night. It was not to be a pile of rocks along the river bank. And it wasn't going to be easy to carry those stones to the site of the camp. But they struggled under the load with great difficulty. It was backbreaking to these men as they labored to carry the stone that they had harvested toward the site of the memorial. Finally they reached the place and lay the stone aside.
It would be years later that they would return to remember the struggle that they had suffered in order to recieve the promise of the Father.
What is the struggle that you are faced with today? I have a few.... And sometimes it seems that there is no end to the struggle. But in the words of a song penned by Andrae Crouch, "our trials only come to make me strong!" There is a victory just over the horizon!
A few days ago, I was driving into town to check the mail to see if there was good news. As I turned the corner just down the road from our home, I began to cry and lament. "God, just where are you? I just need to know that you are still there!" Suddenly the phone rang. I started just to let it go to voicemail because I was in my own world of despair. But instead , I answered. There was a young lady that was going through her own struggles in life on the other end. She didn't mention her struggles to me that day. She simply said, "Pastor, the Lord spoke to me this morning and told me to tell you that "the days that are ahead will be more blessed that the days of your past. Don't allow this discouragement to get on top of you!" I began to weep! It was difficult to be transparent to this little gal that had troubles that far outweighted my own. But through my tears, I told her how she had been a blessing to act in obedience.
Well, the check that "is in the mail" still hasn't arrived, and I sure need the money, but God is so faithful to send men and women of God to speak a word of encouragement just in time!
It is another place of memorial! I stopped on the way to town today, and placed a stone along the side of the road. It won't mean anything to anyone else, but I will remember.....
"This is another place where God spoke to me...."
"And He walks with me and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His Own..."
Keep the faith!
CARRY ON!
