No River Too Wide
Have you ever felt like the obstacles in your life were just too big to overcome? Like the river was overflowing its banks, and there was no way to cross? I know I have. In fact, I was just thinking about that the other day as I was reading through 1 Chronicles 12.
In this chapter, we read about the Gadites, a group of warriors who came to fight for David. Now, these guys were no strangers to battle. They were "men of might, and men of war fit for the battle" (1 Chronicles 12:8). But when they arrived at the Jordan, they found that the river was overflowing its banks. In the days of Joshua, the river had parted, and the Israelites had crossed on dry ground. But this time, there was no dry ground to be found.
Lessons From a Midnight Mouse
I jolted awake to the sound of scratching and scampering, followed by an excited "Woof!" from our terrier, Tess. I turned on the bedside lamp, revealing our pup's intense focus on something beneath our dresser. That's when I spotted it—a tiny grey mouse darting across our bedroom floor.
Talk about a rude awakening! Living in rural Wales, backed up against sheep pastures and woodlands, I suppose we should have expected such visitors sooner. But after two years without any uninvited guests, we'd grown complacent. Now, here we were, at midnight, watching our typically sweet-natured terrier transform into a determined hunter.
Needless to say, sleep proved elusive that night. Between Tess's vigilant guard duty and my heightened awareness of every little sound, morning couldn't come soon enough.
Reshaped, Not Replaced
My husband is quite the handyman. Give him a problem to solve or something to build, and he'll figure out a way to make it happen. So, when he decided to build his own sound system a few months ago, I wasn't surprised. What did surprise me was how much time and effort went into the planning stages.
For weeks, Jason pored over diagrams, measurements, and parts lists. He watched countless YouTube videos about speaker building and sound quality. When he finally had all his supplies, he commandeered the dining room and a portion of the living room (much to my dismay) and began the painstaking process of putting everything together.
At first, he was thrilled with his accomplishment. The speakers looked professional, and they worked—sort of. But it didn't take long before his excitement waned.
The Weighty Matter of Sin
I stood in the bathroom, taking deep breaths and mentally preparing myself for what was to come. It had been months since I'd last checked my weight, and I'll admit, I'd been avoiding this moment like a cat avoids bath time. But today was the day. I'd finally mustered enough courage to face the music—or, in this case, the numbers.
"It can't be that bad," I whispered, trying to channel positive thoughts. "I've been eating...somewhat sensibly. And I do walk every day. Well, almost every day."
Closing my eyes, I stepped onto the scale. The moment of truth had arrived. I counted to three, opened my eyes, and...promptly wished I hadn't.
"That can't be right!" I exclaimed, causing poor Tess to jump. "There must be something wrong with this scale. Perhaps it needs new batteries. Or maybe it's possessed!"
Invisible Lines and Impossible Standards
Have you ever felt like you're walking through a maze where the walls keep moving? Or perhaps trying to follow rules written in invisible ink? Welcome to the club! I've spent countless hours trying to decipher the unwritten social contract that seems to govern every interaction, only to find myself stumbling over invisible lines I didn't even know existed.
"Remind me about these things, but don't be a nag."
"Show initiative, but don't overstep."
"Give me all the information, but don't get bogged down in the details."
“Work hard, but don't overdo it."
"Rest, but don't be lazy."
The list of contradictory expectations goes on and on, enough to make anyone's head spin! Even in our spiritual lives, we often find ourselves trapped between seemingly opposing directives.
"Pray with faith, but don't be presumptuous."
"Trust God completely, but plan responsibly."
"Pour out your heart to God, but don't gripe or complain."